Gambia News:Former Information Minister Yet to Answer Treason Allegations

(Dailynews) Almost six days after his arrest and detention without access to family and attorney, Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh and three other men have been arraigned on Monday on charges of treason and sedition. 
They are accused of distributing T-shirts imprinted with the slogan: ‘Coalition for Change, The Gambia: End Dictatorship Now.’
But they are yet to respond to the allegations as the matter was transferred to proceed at the High Court after it was decided that the magistrates’ court lacks jurisdiction to preside over treason, which attracts up to a death sentence.  
The Daily News could not gather much information about the other three men: Michel C Ucheh Thomas, Modou Keita and Ebrima Jallow. 
But Dr Janneh served as Information Minister for over a year under the Jammeh administration following his return from U.S. where he studied journalism and political science and later taught for over ten years as assistant professor, African and African-American Studies University of Tennessee, U.S. 
He is the CEO and sole proprietor of Commit Enterprises a leading IT outfit in The Gambia. 
A community development activist, Mr Janneh has for many years spearheaded and financed development activities in his hometown of Gunjur. It is not clear when the High Court will preside over the case. 
Meanwhile, all the accused persons are remanded pending proper arraignments.


courtesy: dailynews.gm

Press Alert: Update: Professor Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh

Update: Professor Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh

Late Monday evening, Professor Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh, a former cabinet minister, was unceremoniously yanked from the National Intelligence Agency dungeons where he had been detained for a week, and rushed to the Banjul Magistrates court. The court charged Dr. Janneh with treason in the absence of any legal representation, charges he is yet to plead to.

After the charges were metered out, Dr. Janneh was this time around transferred to the notorious Mile Two Prison, where he is still being detained. Attempts by Dr. Janneh’s legal counsel to locate and have access to him had so far proved futile. Lawyers working feverishly to secure the freedom of Dr. Janneh, are as we speak, attempting to secure his charge sheets. But according to court staff, all matters surrounding the case were being transferred to the Banjul High Court for trial.

Gambia News: Update: The detention of Professor Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh and others

Three days after his arrest, Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh was this afternoon seen in public our reliable sources from Banjul have intimated. Dr. Janneh under the escort of plain- clothes police officers, was driven back to his Commit office building in an unmarked white police pickup truck. After spending a considerable amount of time in the building, the security officers left again with Dr. Janneh. It is not clear why they were there or what they took from the premises.
Meanwhile, one of the three legal counsels retained to handle the case, was alerted of the arrival and presence of the plain-clothes officers with Dr. Janneh at the Commit office building. The counsel rushed to the location just as the plain-clothes officers were exiting with Dr. Janneh. Our source intimated that the police have handed back the keys to the Commit office building to an employee who is also a relative of Dr. Janneh and the employees were asked to resume normal work again.
The legal counsel, however, could not speak to Dr. Janneh and, therefore, could not ascertain the condition of his health and wellbeing. It can be recalled that since his unceremonious arrest three days ago, Dr. Janneh has not had the privilege of seeing family members or consulting legal counsel; a clear violation of the law. Additionally, three days after his arrest, no charges have been brought against Dr. Janneh, yet he continues to be held in detention again in clear violation of the 72 hours maximum detention time allowed by law. As we receive more information, we will be forthright in sharing with the Gambian public, friends of The Gambia around the world, and the international community.

Gambia: Petition for the Release of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh and Others

Petition for the Release of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh and Others

Ndey Tapha Sosseh; Coalition for Change Gambia - CCG (Gambia)
Mathew K. Jallow; National Movement for Restoration of Democracy Gambia (US)
Abdoulie Jobe; Coalition for Human Rights The Gambia (UK)
Banka Manneh; Save The Gambia Democracy Project – STGDP (US)
Alieu Badara Ceesay; Campaign for Human Rights The Gambia (CHRG) – Scotland
Yaya Dampha; Human Rights for All ( Sweden
Bubacarr Baldeh; United Gambia for Democracy and Freedom (Senegal)


The Executive committee of the Coalition for Change-Gambia, in collaboration with the Gambian civil society organizations around the world, call on all Gambians, friends of The Gambia and Human Rights groups around the world to join us in condemning the unlawful arrest and continued detention of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh and others.
Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh and others, whose identities are still unclear, were arrested Tuesday June 7, Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 June 2011.
We the undersigned Gambian civil society organizations, hereby call on the Government of The Gambia to comply with the demand to:

• Immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Janneh and everyone associated with his arrest, or charge them as the 72 hours provision as stipulated in The Gambian Constitution has expired
• Grant Dr. Janneh and others linked to his arrest immediate access to legal counsel;
• Treat Dr Janneh and others arrested alongside him humanely, with dignity and not subject them to torture or any other form of physical trauma;
• Allow the family members of Dr Janneh and others arrested with him unfettered access to them;
• Jealously follow and respect the spirit of the laws and the Constitution of The Gambia in the treatment of the detainees;
• Transparently, judiciously and speedily resolve this unlawful arrest and detention against innocent citizens

We further call on all Gambians, friends of The Gambia, the international community, and International and Regional Human Rights organizations to support calls for the unconditional release of Dr. Amadou Janneh and all those arrested with him by signing this petition. We highly appreciate your fraternal cooperation in this most egregious case of state over-handedness.
Signed:
You can view and sign this petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/731/224/590/

The Gambia ALERT: Former minister missing after being arrested by plain-clothes security agents

June 10, 2011

Dr. Amadou Scattered Janneh, who recently criticized the disappearance of people and attacks on the media, was on June 7, 2011 arrested by plain-clothes security agents at his office in Serrekunda, The Gambia's largest town.

More than 72 hours after his arrest, the whereabouts of Janneh, a former Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology, are still not known. No reasons have been assigned for his arrest and subsequent detention. 

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s sources reported that Janneh was picked up at about 10 hours GMT by plain clothes security agents who, without explanation, sealed off his offices, dismissed his staff members and drove him away in the direction of Banjul, the capital. 

Janneh, an ICT professional, was dismissed from the regime of President Yahya Jammeh as Minister on July 6, 2005 after serving as a Minister from April 4, 2004. He then set up a communication and information technology enterprise, Commit Company Limited, of which he is the Chief Executive Officer.  

The sources said Dr. Janneh has recently been giving lectures on a wide range of issues in the Gambia. He was a guest at the World Press Freedom Day event in Banjul on May 3.  On May 25, he addressed a public forum at the University of The Gambia to mark the celebration of African Liberation Day. On this occasion, the outspoken former Minister condemned the frequent disappearance of people and the hacking or blocking of websites of online Gambian newspapers.

In another development, the case of Dodou Sanneh, a former reporter of The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) who is being tried for allegedly giving “false information” to a public officer, has been adjourned to June 13 by the Banjul Magistrate’s Court. According to the court, the adjournment will enable it to write to colleagues of Sanneh atGRTS who have been identified by the police as prosecution witnesses. The sources said Sainey Joof, the prosecutor, had told the court that the witnesses were unwilling to testify against Sanneh. 

For more information Please contact:

Kwame Karikari (Prof)

Executive Director

MFWA

Accra

Tel: 233-30-22 4 24 70

Fax: 233-302-22 10 84

Email: mfwa@africaonline.com.gh, alerts@mediafound.org

Website: www.mediafound.org

Gambians Condemn the Unlawful Arrest and Detention of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh (#Gambia)

Press Release :The Unlawful Arrest and Detention of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh

We the undersigned Gambian civil society organizations learnt of the arrest and detention of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh, which occurred on the morning of Tuesday June 7 2011, with consternation and regret.

We were also reliably informed that in the process his unlawful arrest, his home was ransacked by agents of the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA). We members of the Gambian civil society fraternity condemn in the strongest terms, this dastardly abuse of the civil rights and denial of our fellow citizens the inalienable right to free association and assembly for purposes of legitimately opposing and petitioning the regime as enshrined in our Constitution.

Dr. Janneh, a high profile member of the civil society community in The Gambia, has a history of opposition to the regime of Yahya Jammeh, where he briefly worked as member of cabinet. Dr. Janneh's political inclinations are not the issue at this point, but his rights to express his views and his right to freely associate in furtherance of this aspiration for our country are.

Consequently, the Executive committee members of the Coalition for Change Gambia, in collaboration with the undersigned Gambian civil society organizations, call on all Gambians, friends of The Gambia and Human Rights groups around the world to join us condemning the unlawful arrest of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh, and others and we further declare as follows:

A. that Dr.Janneh and everyone associate with his arrest, be unconditionally released with immediate effect or be charged within the 72 hours provision as stipulated in The Gambian Constitution.
B. that Dr. Janneh and others linked to his arrest be accessible to legal counsel without delay
C. that they be treated humanely and with dignity and not be subjected to torture or any other form physical trauma to their bodies
D. that their families members be allowed unfettered access to them
E. that the spirit of the law and the Constitution be jealously followed allow their immediate release
F. that this matter be handled transparently and judiciously by the Gambian authorities, and in a speedy manner

We the undersigned Gambian civil society organizations jointly condemn the unlawful arrest and detention of Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh, and others falsely associated with him and are urging their release with immediate effect. We will monitor progress on this matter in conjunction with partners in Human Rights work and friends of the Gambia worldwide.

Signed
Ndey Tapha Sosseh; Coalition for Change-Gambia (Gambia)
Amie Joof; Coalition for Human Rights-Gambia (Senegal)
Alieu B. Ceesay; Gambia Campaign to Fight Human Rights Violations (Scotland)
Banka Manneh; Save The Gambia Democracy Project (US)
Abdoulie Jobe; Coalition for Human Rights The Gambia (UK)
Yaya Dampha; Human Rights for All (Sweden )
Saihou Mballow; Movement For Democracy and Development (US)
Mathew K. Jallow; National Movement for Restoration of Democracy Gambia (US)
Bubacarr Baldeh; United Gambia for Democracy and Freedom (Senegal)