THE GAMBIA PRESS UNION URGES JAMMEH'S GOV'T TO OBSERVE THE RULE OF LAW, AS JOURNALISTS LANGUSIH IN JAIL!!!
The Gambia Press Union, the country’s main journalist body has issued a statement calling on The Gambian authorities to respect the rights and liberties of journalists as prescribed by Gambia’s constitution. A press release issued by the GPU sent to our news room reads” The Gambia Press Union and Civil Society is concerned with the failure of the security forces to observe the due process of the law and the fundamental rights of media practitioners. Two media practitioners, Madi Ceesay and Musa Saidykhan are still in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency.” Below is full text of the GPU press release sent to the Freedom Newspaper by a prominent member of that organization. Please read on…..
STATEMENT ON THE CONTINUED DETENTION OF MADI CEESAY AND MUSA SAIDYKHAN - 5TH APRIL 2006
The Gambia Press Union and Civil Society is concerned with the failure of the security forces to observe the due process of the law and the fundamental rights of media practitioners. Two media practitioners, Madi Ceesay and Musa Saidykhan are still in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency.
Mr Madi Ceesay, President of the Gambian Press Union and General Manager of The Independent was arrested on Tuesday 28th March, 2006 while Mr Musa Saidykhan the vice president of the GPU and editor in chief of The Independent was arrested on Monday 27th March, 2006.
They have both been arrested for at least a week without being taken before any court of competent jurisdiction. This is contrary to the requirement of the constitution which demands that an arrestee be taken to court within 72 hours or be released.
Furthermore, within three hours of one's arrest, one must be told by his or her arrestor the reason(s) for his or her arrest and his or her right to access a legal practitioner. In the case of Mr Madi Ceesay and Mr Musa Saidykhan, until the time of writing this statement, all the rights of an arrested person given by the constitution have been violated by the state in respect of their detention.
Family members have also not been allowed to see the two detainees. Furthermore, no statement has been issued concerning the matter. Finally, the offices of The Independent have been sealed off by the police without a court order, thus depriving the paper from operating. Such conduct by security forces in violation of our constitution and law does not augur well for our country. It is detrimental to freedom of expression and not in accordance with international standards and norms to which The Gambia subscribes. We call on the President as guardian of the constitution to intervene to ensure compliance with the supreme law of the land:
1. To ensure that Mr. Madi Ceesay and Mr Musa Saidykhan are taken to a court of competent jurisdiction or be released immediately;
2. to ensure that the two have access to legal practitioners of their own choice;
3. To ensure that the two be allowed access to their families and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) while in detention;
4. In absence of a court order, to unseal the premises of The Independent to enable its staff continue publishing the newspaper in accordance with freedom of expression provisions of our constitution; and
5. To ensure that family members in particular and the public at large be told the reason(s) for the arrest of the two.
Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 (Archive on Tuesday, April 25, 2006)
Posted by PANDERRYMBAI Contributed by PANDERRYMBAI
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