Fajara, October 25, 2024: The Gambia Press Union (GPU) is deeply involved by the nation’s press freedom state of affairs after the Gambian president and his surroundings minister determined to sue two newspapers for defamation.
President Adama Barrow’s go well with in opposition to The Voice, a privately-owned every day newspaper, stems from a September 23rd story which claims President Barrow has chosen a successor as a part of an exit plan.
The case was known as earlier than the Kanifing High Court at the moment (October 25, 2024) earlier than it was adjourned until November 22, 2024 and Musa Sheriff, the Editor-In-Chief, and The Voice newspaper given 30 days inside which to file their defence.
Similarly, the Minister of Environment, Rohey John Manjang, has filed a defamation go well with in opposition to reporter Kebba Ansu Manneh and The Alkamba Times claiming damages of as much as D50 million ($725, 479 at at the moment’s trade charge). The case shall be talked about on the High Court in Banjul on November 12, 2024.
The Environment Minister’s go well with in opposition to the reporter and the web information platform stems from a June 19, 2024 information story which alleges that she is involved in illegal transaction of seized logs.
“We are concerned as a Union because these suits brought against two journalists and two media houses has the chilling effect of undermining press freedom and freedom of expression,” GPU President, Muhammed S. Bah, stated. “We therefore urge President Barrow and the Minister of Environment to drop all legal proceedings against the journalists and media houses.”
The GPU is deeply involved by each the large monetary implications, and the potential of those circumstances to power journalists and media homes in The Gambia into self-censorship, and due to this fact considerably restrict their capacity to successfully perform their constitutional mandate of holding the federal government and public officers to account.
“These defamation suits, plus the ongoing criminal trial of Musa Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe of The Voice newspaper on false publication charges will significantly reverse gains made by The Gambia in the last few years in terms of press freedom,” GPU Secretary General, Modou S. Joof, stated.
“We call on the aggrieved parties, President Barrow and Minister Manjang, to drop the suits and seek redress at the Media Council of The Gambia – an independent self-regulatory mechanism for the Gambian media – with all parties agreeing to the outcome in order to safeguard press freedom,” Joof stated.
The Media Council of The Gambia (MCG), established by the GPU, is an impartial self-regulatory mechanism for addressing public complaints in opposition to the conduct of journalists – a mandate it has carried out efficiently since 2020.
It is ruled by an 11-member Governing Council, comprising representatives from the federal government, media, civil society, and the non-public sector. The Governing Council has a twin position of exercising oversight over Secretariat and serves as an Appeal Panel.
The MCG mediates complaints raised by people and organisations in opposition to the media, constructing the moral capability of media practitioners, and mitigating battle which may come up between the media and its stakeholders – by the Ethics Panel which presides over public complaints in opposition to the media.
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For enquiries,
Contact GPU Secretary General
Tel: +220 348 0043
Email: pressuniongambia@gmail.com
