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The Gambia: UPDATE- Appeal of human rights defender Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme adjourned until 3 November posted on: 2010/11/01

Human Right Defender Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme, appeared before the Banjul High Court on the 28 October 2010 to appeal a six month prison sentence imposed on 6 September. Mr. Nwakaeme was found guilty of providing false information to a public officer. Court proceedings were delayed because the case file for Mr Nwakaeme went missing. It was eventually located by court officials an hour before the appeal was due to commence. The appeal was adjourned until 3 November.

Gambia: Women human rights defenders Dr Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang-Sissoho remanded in prison and awaiting trialposted on: 2010/10/18

Human rights defenders Dr Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang-Sissoho were arrested and are currently being detained at State Central Prison, Two Mile, where they are awaiting trial on 20 October 2010. Dr Isatou Touray is the executive director of The Gambia Committee on traditional practices affecting the health of women and children (GAMCOTRAP), an organisation working in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and children. Amie Bojang-Sissoho is the programme coordinator of GAMCOTRAP.

The Gambia: Human rights defender Mr Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme sentenced to six months detention with hard labourposted on: 2010/09/08

On 6 September 2010, a Gambian court sentenced human rights defender, Mr Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme to six months mandatory jail term with hard labour. The court also fined him D10,000 (approximately $330 USD) in lieu of an additional three years of detention with hard labour.

The Gambia - Front Line welcomes the release and pardon of six journalists posted on: 2009/09/11

Front Line welcomes the release of six Gambian journalists on 3 September 2009, but remains concerned about the safety of human rights defenders and the integrity of freedom of expression in the Gambia. Emil Touray, Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, secretary general and first vice president respectively of the Gambian Press Union (GPU), Pap Saine and Ebrima Sawaneh, managing editor and news editor of The Point newspaper respectively, and Sam Sarr, managing editor of Foroyaa newspaper had been convicted on August 6 by a Banjul High court for supposedly defaming President Yahya Jammeh and received a mandatory sentence of two years’ imprisonment and fined 250,000 Dalasis (US$10,000).