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DemocracyAlerts

From time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical.

To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html.

On June 14, the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) issued a letter protesting the Gambian government’s most recent violations of rights of journalists.  On June 13, without cause, the Gambian National Intelligence Agency summoned and detained leaders of the Gambian Press Union, namely Vice President Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, Secretary General Emil Touray, and Treasurer Pa Modou Faal.  According to FAJ president and World Movement participant Omar Faruk Osman, the Gambian regime has regularly been committing rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, death threats, acts of intimidation, and surveillance visits to silence independent journalists and their leaders with total impunity.  The FAJ is calling on the international community and the African Union to take all available measures to act in accordance with its international obligations concerning the right to freedom of expression in the Gambia.

To read the statement from Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), go to: www.wmd.org/documents/FAJ0609.pdf

For more information from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), go to: http://cpj.org/2009/06/seven-gambian-press-leaders-arrested-over-hydara-r.php