By Omar Bah
Amnesty International has urged the government of The Gambia to dismiss all charges against journalists Musa Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe.
According to a statement obtained by The Standard, the organization expressed concern about the use of ambiguous criminal laws to suppress freedom of expression and called for the immediate dropping of all charges against Musa Sherif and Momodou Justice Darboe and the release of Musa Sheriff. The two journalists were detained for reporting on the president’s alleged plans to step down, despite President Barrow’s assertion at a UN conference that The Gambia upholds press freedom.
In an article published in The Voice newspaper on Monday, Momodou Darboe claimed that President Adama Barrow was “working on an exit plan” before the 2026 election. The headline suggested that Barrow had selected businessman Muhammed Jah as his “successor.”
The president’s legal team promptly threatened legal action against the newspaper, denouncing the claims as defamatory, completely outrageous, and false. Subsequently, Darboe and the newspaper’s editor, Musa Sheriff, were arrested by the police on Thursday and charged with false publication and broadcasting. The charges were based on an article “allegedly containing misleading information intended to provoke public alarm,” as stated by the police.
The Gambia Police Force assures the public that freedom of the press is upheld but emphasizes the significance of responsible journalism in maintaining public order.
