The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) have welcomed the hearings of the ECOWAS Court on the killing of Deyda Hydara, former editor and co- proprietor of The Point newspaper in The Gambia.
The hearings took place Friday during the session of the ECOWAS Court in the Togolese capital, Lomé. This session of the ECOWAS Court outside of its Abuja headquarters, was held at the premises of the Supreme Court of Togo. Secretary General of the “Union des Journalistes Indépendants du Togo” (UJIT) an IFJ/FAJ affiliate, Credo Tetteh, attended the hearing, representing the IFJ and the FAJ.
The Court heard the Deyda Hydara family representative, as first applicant, and the Republic of The Gambia as the defendant. After the initial deliberations, the case was adjourned to Tuesday, 11th March for the hearing of another witness.
The IFJ-Africa as second applicant has sided with the Hydara family represented by his son, Deyda Hydara Jr, currently an engineer in London.
His father Deyda Hydara a prominent journalist was gunned down in a drive-by shooting by unknown assailants on 16 December, 2004. His killers are still at large.
Deyda Jr told the court that he was 11 years old when his father was gunned down. He called on the court to allow him to go back to The Gambia, by guaranteeing his security.
The IFJ and FAJ have always called on the Gambian government to solicit support from the international community to enable her to establish the truth, and to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.
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