The Daily Observer
Encyclopedia
The Daily Observer is a newspaper
published in Bakau
in Banjul
, The Gambia
.
The paper, Gambia's first daily newspaper, was founded by Kenneth Best
in 1990. Best had previously managed another paper called the Daily Observer in Liberia
, until the First Liberian Civil War caused him to relocate with his family to the Gambia. In October 1994, following Yahya Jammeh
's military coup, Best was expelled from Gambia, although the newspaper was allowed to continue.
was reportedly arrested by state security after attempting to republish a BBC
report criticizing Jammeh shortly before an African Union
meeting in Banjul
; his arrest was witnessed by coworkers. Though ordered to release Manneh by an Economic Community Of West African States
court, the Gambian government has denied that Manneh is imprisoned. According to AFP
, an unnamed police source confirmed Manneh's arrest in April 2009, but added he believed Manneh "is no longer alive." Amnesty International
considers Manneh to be a prisoner of conscience
and named him a 2011 "priority case." The Committee to Protect Journalists
has also called for his release.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in Bakau
Bakau
Bakau is a town on the Atlantic Ocean coast of The Gambia, lying west of Banjul. It is known for its botanical gardens, its crocodile pool Bakau Kachikally and for the beaches at Cape Point. It is the first major suburb outside Banjul and the most developed town in The Gambia...
in Banjul
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
, The Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
.
The paper, Gambia's first daily newspaper, was founded by Kenneth Best
Kenneth Best
Kenneth Y. Best is an African journalist, a Liberian who founded The Daily Observer in Monrovia, Liberia and subsequently a paper of the same name in Banjul, The Gambia....
in 1990. Best had previously managed another paper called the Daily Observer in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, until the First Liberian Civil War caused him to relocate with his family to the Gambia. In October 1994, following Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia...
's military coup, Best was expelled from Gambia, although the newspaper was allowed to continue.
Ebrima Manneh case
In July 2006, Observer reporter Ebrima MannehEbrima Manneh
Ebrima Manneh is a Gambian journalist believed by human rights organizations to have been arrested in July 2006 and secretly held in custody since then....
was reportedly arrested by state security after attempting to republish a BBC
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
report criticizing Jammeh shortly before an African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
meeting in Banjul
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
; his arrest was witnessed by coworkers. Though ordered to release Manneh by an Economic Community Of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
court, the Gambian government has denied that Manneh is imprisoned. According to AFP
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
, an unnamed police source confirmed Manneh's arrest in April 2009, but added he believed Manneh "is no longer alive." Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
considers Manneh to be a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
and named him a 2011 "priority case." The Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
has also called for his release.