Mr. President,The languishing in detention without charge at the National Intelligence Agency(NIA) of Malick Mboob and Chief Ebrima S. Manneh, two journalists and formerstaffs of the Daily Observer, pro-government daily newspaper is unlawful andunacceptable. Our
colleagues have been held incommunicado since their arrest.Mboob was arrested on May 26 in the wake of government clampdown on ournalists whose names were published in the daily Observer for allegedly supplying“damaging” information to US based online publication,
 Freedom Newspaper. He has since been dismissed from his job as communication Officer of the government Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital.Manneh was arrested on July 11, a few days after the African Union Summit in thecapital, Banjul. The reason for his arrest is not
 known.

Meanwhile, two other journalists have also gone missing since the governmentadopted a repressive stance against the independent media and human rights advocates. Sulayman Makalo, assistant editor of the banned,  Independentnewspaper went into hiding in July shortly after receiving information that he was a target of arrest by the NIA.
Omar Bah, news editor of the Daily Observer, escaped into exile since May, a fewdays before he was declared wanted by the Gambian police for his alleged contribution to the Freedom Newspaper.These appalling developments indeed constitutes a violation of freedom of speech and of the press and manifest a flagrant violation of the Gambian onstitution,the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international conventions and  treaties on human rights to which  The Gambia is a signatory.

We at WAHRDNet are very troubled and strongly condemn the widespread clampdown on dissent and   reiterate our
 call to your regime to demonstrate respect forthe Gambian constitution, the rule of law and human rights and institutemeaningful reforms by taking measures toward improved conditions of securityand civil liberties in that West African country.Since coming to power in July 1994, your regime has maintained a policy ofsavagely punishing free speech.
 Kangaroo trials, arbitrary detention,intimidation, harassment, and in other instances politically-motivated murdershave become common place, making a mockery of democracy. We must remind theGambian Government that freedom of speech or of the press is not a gift, whichthe government can withdraw at will. It is a fundamental right guaranteed bythe Gambian Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.With this letter, we hope that your government can revisit its policies.
Please accept our warmest greetings in highest esteem and best wishes.
In the pursuit of justice,I remain Sincerely yours
James Torh Coordinator, WAHRDNet