Gambia / Reporter freed, president urged to stop hounding newspaper
BANJUL, Gambia, June 25, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Reporters Without Borders is relieved to learn that reporter Augustine Kanjia of The Point daily newspaper, who had been held since 22 June at Serrekunda police station in Banjul, was released on bail late yesterday.
“We nonetheless again urge President Yahya Jammeh to respect the free circulation of views in Gambia and to stop hounding the media, especially the opposition newspaper Foroyaa and the independent newspaper The Point,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The sedition charges against all the journalists arrested last week must also be dropped.”
Kanjia was freed late yesterday afternoon on payment of 50,000 dalasis (1,350 euros) in bail although he has not been charged. He was arrested while covering the appearance in court of the six journalists arrested last week. Officials claimed that he took photos of the hearing although a witness told Reporters Without Borders he was just changing his camera’s memory card at the time.
SOURCE
Reporters without Borders (RSF)
