Fourth protest from international press watchdog

For the fourth time this year, the media watchdog, International Press Institute (IPI), has protested to Gambian President Yahya Jammeh over various attempts to muzzle the press including arrests and detention of several journalists. In the latest letter dated 28 November, IPI condemned the detention by the national intelligence agency of reporter Alhagie Mbye, of the daily Independent. Signed by the director Johann Fritz, the protest to Jammeh noted that arresting Mbye and detaining him for more than 72 hours contravened the constitution. Arrested on 21 November from his home in a surburb of the capital Bangul, Mbye had written an article claiming that thousands of Senegalese were on the electoral lists for the Gambian presidential elections held on 18 October. Mbye had been arrested and detained on a number of occasions in the past. On 2 November, IPI protested the arrest of Baboucar Gaye and the closure of Citizen FM radio. He was later released and the radio re-opened. Earlier on 18 July, IPI had condemned the arrest of Omar Bah of the Independent daily, who was attacked by soldiers at Yundum barracks where he had gone to cover a trial. A few months before, IPI had expressed disapproval with what it 'termed fundamental flaws' in the national media commission bill of 1999 that was being adopted by the state, saying many of the provisions were in direct opposition to accepted practises, and would have a detrimental effect on press freedom and freedom of expression in the Gambia.