|
|
 |
"We believe that Magistrate (Buba) Jawo's ruling in Fatou's case was heavily influenced by a regime that holds our country's justice system hostage and appoints puppet judges to carry out its nefarious mission of subjugation and oppression," the branch said in a press statement received by PANA in Dakar.
"Magistrate (Buba) Jawo's conviction of Fatou Jaw Manneh is typical of jungle justice meted out to other journalists (demanding) press freedom and rule of in The Gambia."
A Gambian Magistrate on Tuesday convicted the journalist and sentenced her to a fine of 250,000 Gambian Dalasi (about 8,000 Euros) or in default four years imprisonment after finding her "guilty" of sedition for publishing an article critica l of President Yahya Jammeh.
The journalists said they recognized that "our citizens' collective freedom of expression and dignity have been suppressed for far too long" adding, "Fatou's conviction sets an ugly precedence for all Gambians living abroad and, in essence, officially puts us all in permanent exile."
"Our freedom to express our opinions in matters relating to our nation is under serious assault," the journalists said.
They therefore called on the international community to join them in "sending a clear message to the Gambian authorities that no amount of harassment and intimidation can silence our voices of dissent".
Manneh, a contributor to the US-based opposition website AllGambian.net, a former reporter with the Gambian private newspaper Daily Observer and a pro-democracy activist, was arrested by officers of the dreaded National Intelligence Agency (NIA) at the international airport in the Gambian capital, Banjul, on 28 March 200 7 upon her arrival from the USA.
Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrate's Court on Monday conv icted and sentenced her after finding he guilty of sedition.
|
|
|
 Share your opinion or read the 0 comments written
 Print version
 Sent to a friend |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Top |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|