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A year after Jammeh: Free press returns to The Gambia

While some restrictive laws remain, journalists who were once living in exile are beginning to return to the country.

Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
The hashtag #GambiaHasDecided has appeared on walls throughout the country since December 9, 2016, the day Yahya Jammeh refused his defeat and vowed to remain in power despite losing the election to Adama Barrow. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
By Nicolas Leblanc
Published On 6 Feb 2018

A year after the fall of The Gambia’s former ruler Yahya Jammeh, freedom of expression and the press is beginning to return to the country. The small West African country, surrounded by Senegal, saw the end of Jammeh’s 22-year rule last year. 

Under Jammeh, media and dissent were often stifled. More than 110 journalists went into exile. 

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Among them was Baba Hydara, who returned to The Gambia from the US to take over the management of the daily newspaper, The Point, which was founded by his father and Pap Saine in 1992. Hydara’s father, Deyda, a journalist and activist for human rights and freedom of expression, was murdered in 2004.

By returning to his homeland, Hydara is determined to see his father’s killers pay, and promote the values of a free press.

“I left Gambia one month after my father’s murder,” Hydara told Al Jazeera.

“This was 13 years ago! Now that I’m back to my homeland, I want to do all I can to follow his steps and commitment for freedom of expression,” he added.

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But laws, implemented under Jammeh, that restrict free speech and the media remain. 

According to Information Minister Demba Jawo, a committee has been set up to examine media reform.

This committee, which includes the ministry’s technicians, members of the Journalists’ Union, press publishers, civil society members and the Ministry of Justice, began its work last month.

Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Freedom of expression is gradually returning. Since the beginning of the year, The Voice newspaper has gone from publishing three editions a week to five, a sign of the country’s new appetite for information. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
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Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Sainey Marenah, who works for Gambian Radio Television (GRTS), came back to his homeland six months ago after spending four years in exile in Senegal. He was arrested in 2014 after the publication of an article about dissent in Yahya Jammeh's party. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
The Voice newspaper was founded in 1997 and lasted for two years before the authorities shut it down. Pressure on journalists since Jammeh's coup in 1994 has been very strong. All criticism was repressed. The newspaper restarted in 2008 and it is now published five times a week. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Originally from Liberia, the publisher and founder of The Voice newspaper, Musa Sheriff (L), was one of the country's few remaining journalists and activists to fight against Jammeh's dictatorship. He was arrested and jailed several times. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Interns and freelancers often have to share spaces in The Voice's office where 14 interns and three freelance staffers work. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Baba Hydara (L), journalist and editor of The Point newspaper has returned to The Gambia after 13 years in exile. The 42-year-old hopes to change the press environment. Hydara is the son of Dayda Hydara, the former dean of the Gambian press and co-founder of The Point. Dayda was murdered on December 16, 2004. His killers remain unpunished. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
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Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
In his office, the news editor revises a report with Fatou, a young journalist recruited less than a year ago at The Point. As in other media, the recruitment of new journalists is becoming more and more important with the return of the freedom of speech. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
The Gambia Press Union says that at least 30 journalists have returned since the fall of Jammeh. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Aboubacar Saidykhan, a journalist who returned from exile, on the roof of Radio Star FM. Since the fall of Jammeh, the country's radio stations have started broadcasting news and shows on culture, the environment, politics and the economy. While Jammeh was in power, radio stations only played music. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Fatu Jaw Manneh, QTV's editorial director, in Serrekunda market. QTV is the first private television channel in the country. It began to broadcast in February 2018. As an opponent of Jammeh's regime, Fatu had to flee when he came to power. She returned to The Gambia after 20 years of exile in the United States. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Bakary specialises in political and economic issues, but keeps a close eye on his country’s environmental stories. He notes that there's still a long way to go to change habits and raise people's awareness of the environment. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Printers of The Point newspaper work though the night to be able to deliver the newspaper at around 6am local time. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
A man sells newspaper in the Westfield district of Serrekunda. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]
Journalism and freedom of speech in Gambia one year after dictatorship
Information Minister Demba Jawo is counting on reforms in the media sector to definitively break away from the coercive laws against freedom of expression during Jammeh's rule. [Nicolas Leblanc/Al Jazeera]