The editor of Jollof News Online, Momodou Justice Darboe, was arrested by the police at the Banjul Magistrates Court on 11 March for photographing two defendants as they left the courtroom. He was later charged by the police. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Gambia Press Union (GPU), in condemning “an act of intimidation and harassment meted out to a journalist who was simply doing his job”.
According to a GPU statement, Darboe was at the court to cover a case involving two Austrian nationals, who were being sued for “disobeying lawful orders”. After the court sitting, Darboe took a photo of the accused persons while they were leaving the courtroom.
He reported to the GPU that he was attacked from behind for taking the photo. ‘My phone was wrenched from my hand by Abdoulie Sanneh, the Commissioner for Police Prosecutions’ he said. Darboe sustained injuries to his hands in the process. He was subsequently arrested and detained at Banjul Police Station for six hours before being granted ‘self-bail’ and charged with assaulting a police officer. Under the Penal Code of The Gambia, this offence carries a one-year prison sentence.
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Although taking photos inside the courtroom constitutes “contempt of court”, there is no law that stipulates journalists cannot photograph accused persons outside the courtroom.
The GPU has called on the police to refrain from harassing or intimidating journalists in the course of their work, and to drop the charges against Darboe and withdraw the bail conditions requiring him to report to Banjul police station regularly.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said the arrest and charging of journalist Momodou Justice Darboe were unwarranted and unacceptable in a democratic society. ‘Darboe’s arrest is an unnecessary display of reckless and brutal force by the police, often used to intimidate and harass journalists and media workers.’ There is nothing wrong with journalists taking photos of accused persons outside courtrooms. Journalist Darboe acted in good faith, based on the public’s interest and right to know, and cannot be condemned for such an act”.
The IFJ joins its affiliate, the GPU, in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Darboe and for the charge of “common assault” against him to be dropped.
