London, 07 Aug-(ANA)-Amnesty International has expressed dismay at the sentencing of six Gambian journalists, including three executive members of the Gambian Press Union, to terms in prison.
They were sentenced to a mandatory sentence of two years’ imprisonment and fined 250,000 Dalasis (US$10,000) on two of the six counts. Failure to pay will result in having to serve two extra years for each count.
The journalists were convicted on six counts of sedition and defamation. They have been sent to Mile 2 State Central Prison.
The six convicted journalists are: Emil Touray, Secretary General of the Gambian Press Union (GPU); Sarata Jabbi Dibba, Vice President of the GPU, Pa Modou Faal, Treasurer of the GPU; Pap Saine and Ebou Sawaneh, publisher and editor of Point newspaper; and Sam Sarr, editor of Foroyaa news
paper.
“These journalists are prisoners of conscience, who are being punished for peacefully expressing their views. They should be released immediately and unconditionally,” said Erwin van der Borght, Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme. (ANA)
UK/Houthis