Gambia: Journalists Freed
The
six Gambian Journalists who had been convicted of
defamation and sedition have been pardoned and
released.
They had been sentenced to two years in prison in
August after calling on President Yahya Jammeh to
recognise his government's responsibility for the
unresolved murder in 2004 of Journalist Deyda Hydara,
an outspoken critic of Gambian media laws.
President Jammeh denies that his government is
responsible for the death of the Journalist.
Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised
Gambia because of numerous reports of missing
journalists and illegal arrests.
President Jammeh has been in power in a coup in 1994
and has since won three elections.
Panos/ Qasim / Austeen