ARTICLE 19 today urged The Gambia to immediately drop the charges of false information and broadcasting against human rights activist Madi Jobarteh and commit to repeal all laws that restrict the rights to freedom of expression.
Fatou Jagne Senghore, Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 West Africa said: “These controversial legal provisions were used by the old regime to silence opposition and crackdown on dissident voices.
“In the new Gambia, human rights defenders and journalists should no longer be arrested for exercising their right to freedom of expression and sharing publicly their opinions on a matter of public interest.”
Madi Jobarteh, the country representative of the West Minister Foundation, was charged on Tuesday 30 June 2020 of false information and broadcasting under Section 181A (1) of the criminal code, following an interview he gave to local media during the “Black lives Matter” demonstration in Banjul in front of USA embassy on 27 June 2020. In this interview, he denounced the lack of effective investigation by the Government of the Gambia into the deaths of Haruna Jatta, Ousman Darboe and Kebba Secka, three citizens who were allegedly killed by security officials between June 2017 and July 2019.
Jobarteh was released on bail, but his case was directed to the prosecutor’s office at Kanifing, where he is due to report on Monday 13 July 2020. If found guilty, Jobarteh could face up to five years’ imprisonment, or a fine.
“During the examination of The Gambia’s human rights record in 2019, the government confirmed to the United Nations it will protect and fulfil freedom of expression. Now is the time to demonstrate this by bringing all the laws the old regime used to stifle free speech in line with The Gambia’s international human rights obligations”, said Fatou Senghore.
“The government should also inform citizens what progress it has made in investigating these condemnable deaths and ensure that the suspected perpetrators are brought to justice.”
