MFWA to ‘Name and Shame’ Countries with Bad Conditions of Freedom of Expression

The Gambia and the rest of the 15 West African countries will be rated and analyze on the conditions of freedom of expression in respective of their countries next year 2014, The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) says.

The annual rating which will be called West Africa Freedom of Expression Index will rank all 16 West African countries in partnership with the US-based freedom of expression (FoE) advocacy organisation, MFWA said in a press released

This rating will be based on an in-depth assessment of each country’s conditions of press freedom, internet freedom, freedom of association and assembly, religious freedom, artistic freedom, among others.

A Gambian journalist has gone into hiding for fear of being harmed, disappeared without trace or killed.

Fabakary Ceesay

(Kibaro News)

Fabakary B. Ceesay, a senior reporter of Foroyaa newspaper who runs a monthly Detention without Trial column on Foroyaa, has escaped unharmed.  The column was formerly anchored by Yaya Dampha who also had a similar experience.

Mr. Ceesay’s fleeing resulted after he had been tipped that the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) issued a secret warrant for his arrest a day before the kidnapping of a protest-seeking journalist Baboucarr Ceesay.

“I decided to go into hiding for two days before finally fleeing to Senegal,” Mr. Ceesay told Kibaaro News.