Yearbook 2009
The Gambia. Few African regimes have a more repressive attitude to the media than the Gambian. Seven of the country’s most well-known journalists were arrested in June, five of them in raids against the press association’s premises, and charged with rioting and defamation. In several newspaper articles, they had questioned President Yahya Jammeh’s statement that the regime was not behind the 2004 assassination of prominent editor Deyda Hydara. Six of those arrested were sentenced to two years in prison while one was acquitted. According to countryaah, the judges were criticized by the EU and the US as a threat to freedom of speech and a parody of justice. After a month, the president pardoned all six without further justification. See ABBREVIATIONFINDER for abbreviation GA which stands for the nation of Gambia.
In September, President Jammeh arose when he threatened to kill human rights activists in a televised match, as his activities, according to him, “destabilize” society. The threat was answered by a call on the Internet demanding that the African Union move its headquarters for human rights issues from The Gambia. President Jammeh also announced that the country will resume executions. The Gambia was reported at the beginning of the year to have 15 convicted prisoners. Officially, no one has been executed in the country since the 1980s, but it is believed to have occurred in secret.