DAKAR, Aug 14 (AFP) - Rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) urged
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to block a controversial media law, which it
says would undermine press freedoms, in a statement obtained by AFP
Wednesday.
   AI said it was worried by the Gambian parliament's adoption of a new
media law "which will further limit free speech" if enacted.
   Under the new law, a national media commission with the same powers as a
court of law will be set up. The commission will examine complaints against
media outlets and their employees, and will have power to bring them to
trial.
   It will be empowered to deliver, suspend or retract the authorisation
required by media professionals to practise their profession.
   AI called the restrictions "totally unjustified."
   "They walk rough-shod over the law and the freedom of expression and
could muzzle the Gambian press and undermine its independence," the
statement said.
   Amnesty urged Jammeh to "guarantee freedom of speech in Gambia by
refusing to promulgate the law."
   The measure has also been condemned by journalists in the Gambia and by
international press advocacy groups including Paris-based Reporters without
Borders and the Union of West African Journalists.
   AI said three journalists have been arrested in the Gambia since the
start of the year "for simply ... carrying out their profession."
   One of the journalists, Pa Ousmane Darboe, a reporter for The
Independent newspaper who was arrested nearly two weeks ago, is still in
detention.
   Darboe is being held over an article he wrote announcing the marriage of
Gambia's vice president to a retired teacher, whose associates have denied
the report.
   The BBC's Gambia correspondent and a Congolese journalist who works for
pan-African news agency Panapress were both arrested in July, but have been
released.
   In its statement, AI "urged the Gambian authorities to give firm
guarantees on the right to free speech in line with international treaties
to which the Gambia is party.
   Jammeh came to power in a coup in the tiny west African country in
1994.
   His Patriotic Alliance for Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party
won a resounding victory in parliamentary elections in January, which were
boycotted by the opposition.
   APRC lawmakers hold 45 of the 48 elected seats in Gambia's parliament.

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