Gambia
Authorities legally harass publisherPosted Apr 18 2009
The trial of Gambian publisher and editor Pap Saine restarted March 26 after a recess to change the charges against him. Saine is standing trial on two counts of obtaining registration by false pretence and obtaining a Gambian passport by false declaration. He has pled innocent to the charges, according to The Gambia News.
The government’s accusations against the publisher are widely considered to be government retaliation against stories run in The Point, the daily newspaper where Saine is editor. The stories focused on a change of diplomatic personnel in Gambia’s Washington, D.C., embassy. Soon after publication, police raided the paper’s offices and arrested staff members. They then demanded that the reporters reveal their sources, and Saine was charged with publishing false news. The forged document charges came in late February.
The International Press Institute has condemned the trial as a ruse to silence outspoken media outlets. “The proceedings pending against outspoken editors like Pap Saine raise concern that the Gambian courts are being misused to settle scores with journalists,” said IPI Director David Dadge. “We call on Gambian authorities to ensure that the judicial system does not become yet another tool for media harassment.”
Saine’s lawyer has said the charges against him are unconstitutional because they contradict Section 25 of the Gambian constitution, which guarantees the right of journalists and citizens to the right of free expression without fear of intimidation.
More information
- The Gambia News
- International Press Institute
- Media Foundation for West Africa