Mass Kah, a messenger at the privately-owned Foroyaa
newspaper was on November 14, 2013, arrested by police over allegations
of denigrating and insulting Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh.
The
MFWA’s sources in the country reported Kah was having a discussion with
a friend infront of his home in Serekunda when two supporters of
President Jammeh confronted him about his comments and reported him to
the police.
In
the said discussion, Kah reportedly said Halifa Sallah, who is the
leader of the opposition People’s Democratic Organisation for
Independence and Socialism, was “the only man who wears trousers in The
Gambia". According to MFWA’s sources the statement was understood as
meaning Sallah was more capable of leading the country than President
Jammeh.
He
was arrested and detained without any charge at Serekunda police
station where he was subjected to fierce interrogations and insults by
police officers before being transferred to Kotu police station, about
13 kilometers southwest of the capital, Banjul.
He
is currently in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency in
Banjul and has been denied access to family and friends during the past 6
days he has been in detention.
Meanwhile the Managing Editor of the Foroyaa
newspaper, Sam Sarr, has said all attempts to meet with the officer in
charge of Kah’s case to secure bail for him has proven futile. He said
if securing bail failed, his newspaper will resort to taking legal
action against the State.
The MFWA condemns the continuous detention of Kah and demands his immediate release. We call on the Gambian authorities to respect Section 19 of the country’s constitution which states that a person shall not be detained for more than 72 hours without either being granted bail or charged for court.
The MFWA condemns the continuous detention of Kah and demands his immediate release. We call on the Gambian authorities to respect Section 19 of the country’s constitution which states that a person shall not be detained for more than 72 hours without either being granted bail or charged for court.
Source: MFWA
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