Fajara, 8 May, 2025 – The Gambia Press Union (GPU) has learnt with shock an
\nattempt by the leadership of the Media Council of The Gambia (MCG) and the
\nNational Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to get The Republic to issue a statement
\nthat seeks to exonerate former justice minister Abubacarr Tambadou of any alleged
\nwrongdoing in a story published by the investigative outlet on April 30, 2025.
\nThe story \u201cThe Assets of Gambia\u2019s Former Dictator go for a Song\u201d raised a number of
\nconcerns including alleged lack of transparency, corruption and conflict of interest in
\nthe sale of the assets of the former president Yahya Jammeh.
\nIn an attempt to protect the reputation of the former minister, the MCG\u2019s Executive
\nSecretary, Bai Emil Touray, invited Mustapha K. Darboe, the outlet\u2019s Editor-in-Chief, to
\na \u201cmeeting with the Media Council\u201d that was scheduled for 6th May, 2025 at the
\nNHRC office in Kotu without any prior notice of the subject of the meeting.
\nTogether with the Chairperson of the MCG Governing Council, Baboucarr Cham, and
\nthe Chairperson of the NHRC, Emmanuel Daniel Joof, the three leaders of the two
\ninstitutions laid out the following on behalf of Tambadou \u2013 clearly based on public
\nperception of the story and the opinions members of the public formed after reading
\nthe story:
\n1. That the story has caused confusion
\n2. It has been misunderstood as an indictment of ex\u2013minister Tambadou
\n3. Tambadou was given 5 days to reply (suggesting that The Republic was unfair)
\nThat The Republic refused to give due consideration to Tambadou\u2019s opinion
\n5. That the magnitude of the harm being done to Tambadou is huge
\n6. That word going around suggests that Mustapha was paid to do the story
\n7. That the timing is bad considering Tambadou is a nominee for the position of a
\njudge at the International Court of Justice
\nThe leaders of the MCG and NHRC concluded by asking Mustapha K. Darboe \u201cto
\nconsider the idea of a joint statement with Tambadou where we will declare that our
\nstory did not indict the former minister. And that the people misunderstood it.\u201d The
\nRepublic has rejected the idea of a joint statement.
\nIt is GPU\u2019s view that The Republic\u2019s story has not breached any ethical standards and
\nconforms with the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists\u2019 provisions that
\nrequire journalists to \u201cuphold the public\u2019s right to fair, accurate, balanced information
\nof issues and events of public interest.\u201d
\nThe Gambia Press Union therefore condemns the actions of the leadership of the
\nMCG and NHRC for pushing an agenda that would compromise the professionalism of
\nThe Republic and ethical journalism standards.
\n\u201cIt is rather unfortunate that the two leaders of the MCG and NHRC would even
\nentertain this unacceptable agenda to get The Republic to issue a joint statement
\nwith Tambadou to protect his reputation though they are of the view that he is not
\nindicted in the outlet\u2019s story. And to insinuate that Mustapha may have been paid to
\ndo the story is preposterous,\u201d GPU Secretary General, Modou S. Joof, said.
\nThe MCG and NHRC leadership also insinuated that if The Republic failed to do a joint
\nstatement with Tambadou, the former minister could consider legal actions,
\nMustapha K. Darboe told the GPU on Wednesday. \u201cWhat the MCG and NHRC leaders
\ndid amounts to intimidation of a journalist and is highly unacceptable and a
\nsignificant departure from the ideals upon which these two institutions were
\nfounded,\u201d Joof said.
\n\u201cThere is no basis for the concerns that they have raised since they have not pointed
\nout any ethical violations in the story, and for the fact that an ethical violation
\ncomplaint has not been officially lodged with the Council and the involvement of the
\nNHRC who is not a member of the MCG makes it even more worrying,\u201d GPU
\nPresident, Isatou Keita, said.
\n\u201cThe suggestion to do a joint statement with a subject of an investigative report to<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That The Republic refused to give due consideration to Tambadou\u2019s opinion
\n5. That the magnitude of the harm being done to Tambadou is huge
\n6. That word going around suggests that Mustapha was paid to do the story
\n7. That the timing is bad considering Tambadou is a nominee for the position of a
\njudge at the International Court of Justice
\nThe leaders of the MCG and NHRC concluded by asking Mustapha K. Darboe \u201cto
\nconsider the idea of a joint statement with Tambadou where we will declare that our
\nstory did not indict the former minister. And that the people misunderstood it.\u201d The
\nRepublic has rejected the idea of a joint statement.
\nIt is GPU\u2019s view that The Republic\u2019s story has not breached any ethical standards and
\nconforms with the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists\u2019 provisions that
\nrequire journalists to \u201cuphold the public\u2019s right to fair, accurate, balanced information
\nof issues and events of public interest.\u201d
\nThe Gambia Press Union therefore condemns the actions of the leadership of the
\nMCG and NHRC for pushing an agenda that would compromise the professionalism of
\nThe Republic and ethical journalism standards.
\n\u201cIt is rather unfortunate that the two leaders of the MCG and NHRC would even
\nentertain this unacceptable agenda to get The Republic to issue a joint statement
\nwith Tambadou to protect his reputation though they are of the view that he is not
\nindicted in the outlet\u2019s story. And to insinuate that Mustapha may have been paid to
\ndo the story is preposterous,\u201d GPU Secretary General, Modou S. Joof, said.
\nThe MCG and NHRC leadership also insinuated that if The Republic failed to do a joint
\nstatement with Tambadou, the former minister could consider legal actions,
\nMustapha K. Darboe told the GPU on Wednesday. \u201cWhat the MCG and NHRC leaders
\ndid amounts to intimidation of a journalist and is highly unacceptable and a
\nsignificant departure from the ideals upon which these two institutions were
\nfounded,\u201d Joof said.
\n\u201cThere is no basis for the concerns that they have raised since they have not pointed
\nout any ethical violations in the story, and for the fact that an ethical violation
\ncomplaint has not been officially lodged with the Council and the involvement of the
\nNHRC who is not a member of the MCG makes it even more worrying,\u201d GPU
\nPresident, Isatou Keita, said.
\n\u201cThe suggestion to do a joint statement with a subject of an investigative report to\u00a0 tweak the facts of the story in his favour and to shield him from accountability is
\nunheard of in journalism, and would amount to a breach of journalism ethics, dent
\nthe reputation of The Republic and erode public trust in them,\u201d Keita said.
\nIn order to maintain the independence, integrity and sanctity of the MCG, an
\nindependent self-regulatory body established by the GPU in 2018, the GPU Board has
\ndecided to recommend to the MCG Governing Council to relieve the Executive
\nSecretary, Bai Emil Touray, of his duties with immediate effect. He no longer
\nrepresents the values and principles upon which the MCG was established, and
\ntherefore cannot continue to lead its secretariat. The GPU will work with the
\nGoverning Council to identify a new executive secretary.
\nThe GPU also urges the leadership of the MCG and NHRC to refrain from any further
\nacts of intimidation against Mustapha K Darboe and The Republic. We advise that if
\nany party has a legitimate ethical concern about The Republic\u2019s story, they should file
\na complaint with the Media Council\u2019s Ethics Panel.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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