The Gambia: America condemns Gambia's anti-media laws

The American government has strongly condemned Gambian authorities over the tiny West African country's anti-media laws, arguing that such repressive laws are not in line with democracy and they "should never be used to suppress'' democratic rights of the people, PANA reported Saturday.

The condemnation was contained in a statement delivered by John C. Mariz, US delegate to the just-concluded United Nations Human Rights Council's Periodic Review held in Geneva and attended by Gambian delegation, led by Justice Minister Marie Saine-Firdaus.

'The United States was deeply saddened and disappointed by the arrest in 2009 of seven Gambian journalists and the harsh sentencing of the six journalists charged with sedition and defamation,'' Mariz said.

'We recommend that The Gambia take all necessary steps to ensure freedom of speech as guaranteed by international conventions to which The Gambia is a signatory.''

The US envoy stressed that ensuring free speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the media and democratic rights of the people are crucial to the health of democracy of any given society.

Meanwhile, human rights groups within the sub-region and beyond have repeatedly criticised Gambian government over its "worsening" rights records.

-February 14, 2010 by PANA

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Source:  www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/gambias-anti-media-laws-2010021444098.html (accessed on 15.02.10)