Hydara, co-proprietor and editor of The Point, one ofthe few independent newspapers in the country then, was shot three times in the head by unidentified gunmen moments after his newspaper celebrated its 13thanniversary.
Four years on, the government has not heeded to continuous demands for an independent committee to investigate the murder and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The murder of Hydara has been followed by increased cases of violent attacks on journalists and the media. Newspapers and radio stations considered critical have been closed down. Journalists publishing anything unpalatable have also received their fair share of the violent treatment. Currently, several of them, for fear of arrests and torture, have escaped into exile.
One journalist, Chief Ebrima Manneh, has "disappeared" for
two years now; he is still nowhere to be found despite an
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is urging the international community to sustain pressure on the Gambian government to end impunity and ensure that they improve on the horrific media rights situation in the country.
We are happy that the African Commission on Human and
People's Rights at the 44thOrdinary Session held in
MFWA urges civil, media, labour, and human rights organisations in the African region to ask their respective governments to ensure the enforcement of the resolution.
Issued by the MFWA,
The MFWA is a
regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in