By Adama Makasuba
The Gambia Press Union has told the Barrow government to commit to ending 29 years of continued crimes against journalists and upholding the rule of law.
The Union’s call comes as the world marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. We reiterate our call to the Gambia Government, under the leadership of President Adama Barrow, to renew its commitment and promises of promoting and protecting press freedom and freedom of expression. “The failure to bring perpetrators of crimes against Gambian journalists to justice has helped sustained a cycle of violence against journalists for 29 years – covering a period from the dictatorship era to the current administration,” Modou S. Joof, secretary general of Gambia Press Union, said.
“Recent comments by the Gambian President, seen to threaten the state of press freedom, freedom of expression, and the country’s fledgling democracy, was followed by direct calls online for attacks on individual journalists and media houses by militants known to support the ruling party,” he added. According to him, Journalists and media workers have recently faced arrests, with whereabouts unknown for up to 48 hours, detained incommunicado without access to lawyers and families, and in one instance, allegedly physically assaulted upon release by the police. “We call on the government to renew its commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression and ensure that journalists enjoy a safer environment to do their job without intimidation and attacks,” he continued.
The Union also urged political parties to take up their responsibilities to protect and ensure the safety of journalists covering their events, such as press conferences and political rallies, and to stop their supporters from attending press conferences, thereby creating an atmosphere of intimidation and possible assault on journalists both physically and verbally.
