Six journalists jailed in the Gambia

Six journalists have been jailed in the Gambia reports Media Guardian

The journalists were sentenced yesterday by a court in the country's capital city, Banjul, after backing a press union statement that criticised the government.
The union today said it would appeal against their convictions, which have been widely condemned by press freedom groups.

RSF reports that

“The press freedom situation in Gambia is the most serious by far in all of West Africa,“Repressive legislation, arbitrary arrests and generalised fear – nothing is spared the country’s few independent journalists. Daring to express an opinion or criticise the authorities is immediately regarded by the government as an attempt to besmirch the country’s image.”

A Gambian journalist's story

My intention to remain in my home country, to use my pen to correct injustice, and to champion press freedom was aborted by security threats that forced me and my family into exile. I left behind my beloved country and editorial desk in the hands of perpetrators.

The words of Musa Saidykhan,a journalist in the Gambia writing at CPR over the weekend.

He muses on the death of Independent journalism in the country and after being appointed the editor-in-chief of The Independent, a biweekly paper known for being outspoken,the countries security personnel made his life as a journalist very difficult.

He was arrested and held for 22 days following an attempted coup in the country fleeing to Senegal before settling in the US