The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African Group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), has filed an application before the Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to challenge the repressive media laws which have created a pervasive culture of persecution, violence, and injustice against journalists in The Gambia.

The joint application by FAJ and three Gambian journalists in exile, filed on 7 December with the support of the Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI), concerns the violation of the right to freedom of expression, including through the use of criminal laws that prohibit criticism to be made of the government. The case represents the first challenge to Gambia’s criminal laws before an international jurisdiction.

Read the full FAJ's statement