The Coalition for Human Rights in The Gambia has denounced the failure of The Gambian Government to prosecute those who murdered Deyda Hydara, Journalist five years ago, a release from the
Coalition has said.
The release, which was made available to the GNA said: "On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the murder of our colleague, mentor, friend and brother journalist Deyda Hydara, on December 16, 2004, the Coalition for human rights in The Gambia once again denounces the fact that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are yet to be brought to book.
"Today, we wish to honour the memory of Deyda Hydara and to register our stance against the overt or covert condoning of any form of impunity by the Government of The Gambia.
"We are outraged that after five years, apart from a National Intelligence Agency Published 'confidential report' in 2005, two
GPU/National Security Council Meetings (2004/2008), the recent jailing of six journalists including three senior members of the Gambia Press Union over comments by President Yahya Jammeh on the Deyda Hydara murder, the
perpetrators are still unidentified and the investigations into the case stalled."
The release said: "Today, the Coalition wishes to call the public's attention to the fact that the perpetrators of this heinous crime have not yet been brought to book. They roam our streets freely lurking behind dark shadows.
"We express our utmost disappointment and concern that the State institutions responsible for the protection of life and property in this
country have to date woefully failed to find the culprits. Instead, they would speedily and heartlessly detain and imprison innocent journalists who question the motives for the murder of Deyda Hydara and the apparent failure
of the authorities to show commitment in investigating other atrocities against the private media and journalists.
" Regrettably, we are obliged to draw the attention of the Gambia Government and the State Security Apparatus' to the fact that unless and
until the State re-commences the investigations into the murder of Deyda Hydara and that this time around it leaves no stone unturned to trace the perpetrators of this dastardly act; the media fraternity will have no faith and confidence in the ability of the security forces and the government to put an end to impunity and crimes against the media and media practitioners.
"We have observed a similar trend in our society at large. Such a scenario is inimical to national peace and security.
"The Coalition for Human Rights in The Gambia sincerely hopes that at the end of five years, The Gambia Government will take stock and that in an effort to pave the way for an end to impunity and to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of the life, liberty and limb of every Gambian without discrimination against media professionals by; publicly stepping up
efforts into investigations of the murder of Deyda Hydara in particular and on all pending cases relating to the assaults on journalists and media houses.
The Gambian Government should also stop the unwarranted and unnecessary arrests, detention and show trials of journalists and media workers; to reopen all arbitrarily closed media houses and to allow them to operate without fear of reprisals and to seriously consider repealing obnoxious media laws in particular the Newspaper Amendment Act 2004, the Criminal Code Amendment Act 2005, the Newspaper Registration Act 2005 and the Communications Bill 2009.
Turning to those, who brutally murdered Deyda Hydara, the Coalition said; "you have failed miserably in your evil design to silence the voice of truth. Your criminal act has in fact turned his voice into a universal voice of truth and a universal voice of condemnation of evil and injustice.
"We rejoice in the fact that Deyda Hydara will always be remembered as a courageous, steadfast and committed journalist, who ascribed to the singular pursuit of truth, justice, transparency and accountability. He died a hero and a martyr to the cause of a free press for The Gambia," the release said.