The constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and press; however, the government restricted these rights. According to the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, “the environment for independent and opposition media remained hostile, with numerous obstacles to freedom of expression, including administrative hurdles, arbitrary arrest and detention, intimidation and judicial harassment against journalists, and the closure of media outlets, leading to self-censorship.”
Freedom of Speech: Individuals who publicly or privately criticized the government or the president risked government reprisal.
For example, on June 18, security forces arrested without charge Alhaji Ismaila Manjang, a prominent Islamic scholar and imam in the coastal town of Gunjur. The arrest followed Manjang’s graduation speech given at his Islamic institute in which he condemned practices that could be considered idolatrous, such as visits to shrines to seek blessings. Manjang was subsequently held incommunicado at NIA headquarters for four days. At year’s end Manjang had not been charged with any offense but was required to report frequently to the NIA.
Freedom of Press: Constitutional protections were undermined by laws that impose excessive bonds on media institutions, require newspapers to reregister annually, and mandate harsh punishment for the publication of false information. According to Freedom House, these provisions gave authorities great power to silence dissent.
On March 16, President Jammeh warned independent journalists that he would “not compromise or sacrifice the peace, security, stability, dignity, and the well being of Gambians for the sake of freedom of expression.” Accusing some journalists of being the “mouthpiece of opposition parties,” he vowed to prosecute any journalist who offended him.
The government published The Gambia Info newspaper, formerly called The Gambia Daily. The privately owned Daily Observer newspaper favored the government in its coverage. There were seven other independent newspapers, including one published by an opposition political party that remained highly critical of the government. There was one independent biweekly magazine.
The government-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) and nine private radio stations broadcast throughout the country. GRTS gave limited coverage to opposition activities. GRTS television, foreign cable, and satellite television channels broadcasting independent news coverage were available in many parts of the country, and the government allowed unrestricted access to such networks.
Violence and Harassment: Media restrictions tightened during the year, and the government continued to harass and detain journalists. Numerous journalists remained in self-imposed exile as a result of government threats and harassment. On March 16, police arrested and detained Dodou Sanneh, a journalist who petitioned the president during the year to request reinstatement at GRTS following Sanneh’s 2006 dismissal from his position there. On September 15, Sanneh was convicted of “giving false information to a public servant” and fined 500 dalasi ($17) or six months in prison. The GPU paid the fine.
On June 27, Ahmed Alota, the executive director of the GPU, was arrested and detained overnight at PIU headquarters following the transmission by Skype of a statement made by Ndey Tapha Sosseh, the union’s exiled former president, at the GPU Congress. On July 1, journalist Madi S. Njie, the newly elected secretary general of the GPU, was arrested at the offices of the Standard newspaper. Njie was reportedly questioned about a report on Alota’s arrest sent to the Ghana-based media watchdog Media Foundation for West Africa and the underground civil society organization The Coalition for Change, of which Sosseh was a member. Both Alota and Njie were released without charge.
Journalists from news outlets perceived to be critical of the government were routinely denied access to public information and were excluded from covering official events at certain venues.
Censorship or Content Restrictions: Private media outlets generally practiced self censorship for fear of reprisal by the government, and many avoided content deemed contrary to the principles of Islam or offensive to other religions and sects. Nevertheless, opposition views regularly appeared in the independent press, and there was frequent criticism of the government in the private media.
On several occasions during the year, NIA authorities ordered community radio station Taranga FM to stop broadcasting news in local languages or face closure. Taranga was the only private radio station in the country that broadcast national news in local languages, a valued service to the large illiterate segment of the population. The station was forced off the air for 32 days in January and February but was subsequently allowed to broadcast on condition that the station not review opposition newspapers. Referring to the government’s action, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement in August noting that it “condemned the illegal act of political censorship to silence Taranga FM ahead of the November presidential elections.” At year’s end Taranga FM continued its local language broadcasts but avoided sensitive or controversial stories.
Libel Laws/National Security: In previous years the NIA was involved in arbitrary closures of media outlets and the extrajudicial detention and torture of journalists; however, there were no such reports during the year.