Gambia: Release journalist Ebrima B. Manneh

Ebrima B. Manneh © private ACTION TYPE LETTER

“ I am with trauma and pain because of my son’s disappearance. I am having sleepless nights and since he disappeared, my family do not know happiness… I am constantly praying to God to bring my son back and reunite with us and I believe that justice will prevail some day. ”

Ebrima's mother, Sula Ceesay,
on the eve of the fifth anniversary
of Ebrima's disappearance

Journalist Ebrima B. Manneh was arrested in July 2006 and has been held incommunicado and without trial ever since, even though a West African regional court has called for his release.

UPDATE: 11 JULY 2011

Today marks the fifth anniversary of Ebrima's disappearance. The Gambian authorities continue to deny any knowledge of his whereabouts, or fate. We are using this anniversary to call on the Gambian authorities to end the cover up and disclose Ebrima's whereabouts or allow an independent investigation into what has happened to him.

Fill out the form below to send an appeal to the Gambian High Commissioner.

This is a letter action. We will email you the appeal letter for you to print and put in the post. The address of the High Commissioner will be on the letter.

Subject

Your Excellency Mrs Elizabeth Ya Eli Harding,

Your Excellency

I am deeply concerned for the well-being of Ebrima B. Manneh, a journalist who was arrested by plainclothes police at the offices of the Daily Observer newspaper in July 2006. He has never been charged or tried and his whereabouts have never been revealed.

I call for his immediate and unconditional release. Ebrima is a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for peacefully exercising his internationally recognised right to freedom of expression. If your government is not able to identify Ebrima’s whereabouts or fate, I urge you to allow a thorough, independent investigation into what has happened to him.

I would like to remind you that the ECOWAS Court of Justice held his detention to be in direct violation of provisions of the African Charter, to which your country is a signatory. Please implement the court’s ruling that he should be released immediately and awarded damages for his illegal detention.

I believe that Ebrima’s case highlights a wider problem in the Gambia, where a number of journalists have been arbitrarily arrested and held incommunicado and without charge. I urge you to release them immediately and in future to recognise and respect the right to freedom of expression and a fair trial in the Gambia.

I look forward to hearing from you on these important matters.

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Gambia: Release journalist Ebrima B. Manneh

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