H.E. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh
President of the Republic of The Gambia
State House
Banjul
The Gambia
Fax: +220 227 034
Vienna, 21 January 2004
Your Excellency,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, is deeply concerned over the safety of Alagi Yorro Jallow, managing editor of the private, bi-weekly Independent newspaper.
According to information before IPI, Yorro Jallow received a letter, dated 13 January 2004, in which a previously unknown group called the “Green Boys” threatened to “eliminate” him if the Independent continued to publish stories about Baba Jobe, majority leader in the National Assembly. “This is a final warning to you,” the letter said. “Stop it now or else you will never see a newspaper again… Stop telling lies and writing about Baba Jobe or you will regret it.”
Baba Jobe was arrested on 25 December 2003 and faces charges of tax evasion and other related economic crimes in what has become known as the “Babagate” scandal.
According to IPI’s sources, the police said they would investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice, but have thus far failed to act upon their promise.
The threat against Yorro Jallow is not the first case of harassment or intimidation directed against the Independent in an apparent campaign to prevent the newspaper’s critical reporting.
On 17 October 2003, unidentified assailants attempted to burn down the newspaper’s offices in Banjul. In doing so, they damaged Yorro Jallow’s office and the offices of the newsroom. During the incident a private security guard was attacked and beaten with an iron bar. The guard, who managed to call his security firm for assistance and prevent further damage to the offices, was hospitalised as the result of head injuries suffered during the attack. Although the police were called at the time of the incident, they did not arrive on the scene until the following day.
On 19 September 2003, the Independent’s editor-in-chief, Abdoulie Sey, was arrested by plainclothes security agents in front of the newspaper’s offices. He was held incommunicado at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) until 22 September. According to Sey, he was interrogated about an article that was considered critical of the president and the government.
IPI urges Your Excellency to authorise an immediate and thorough investigation into this latest incident and to do everything in your power to ensure that journalists working for the Gambian media in general and the Independent newspaper in particular are able to carry out their profession without fear of intimidation.
IPI would also remind Your Excellency that everyone has the right “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” in accordance with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and that the Gambian authorities should uphold this principle.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
Director
