Livewire - Amnesty International blogging for human rights

By Colby Goodman, Amnesty International’s Control Arms Campaign

October 7, 2009 – On a day the New York Times exposed more details about Guinean security forces recent use of weapons against thousands of peaceful protestors, Amnesty International participated in what turned out to be an electrified briefing at the United Nations (UN) about preventing the use of arms for serious human rights violations and the need for an Arms Trade Treaty.

Continue reading ‘UN discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty’

Amnesty International’s section in Burkina Faso organised a press conference for the Gambia Day of Action on 22 July. During this event, we denounced arbitrary arrests, impunity, migrant’s rights abuses, political harassment, and the lack of freedom of the press and urged Gambian authorities to respect human rights.

There were 12 media correspondents present at the press conference. These included Editions le Pays (newspaper), l’Evênement (newspaper), Radio Ouaga FM,Canal 3 (TV), and Sidwaya (state run newspaper).
Continue reading ‘Burkina Faso – Calling for more justice and freedom in Gambia’

We had a meeting with official of the Swedish foreign ministry on the 22 July. About 15 Gambians in Stockholm participated in our journey to the foreign ministry. I and three other Gambians were allowed in to meet Madam Karin Bolin, Department Sectary in charge of West Africa. She is also EU desk officer.

We presented the public statement to her and talked about the human rights abuses and violations in Gambia. We also gave her highlights on the lack of press freedom and the case of Chief Ebrima Manneh and Kanyiba Kanyi among others.

I gave my own case also during my arrest with the Amnesty International team in Gambia in October 2007.

The press conference in Abuja was held at the premises of the National Human Rights Commission and was well attended by Civil Society members and journalists. The delegation was represented by me (Amnesty International), Ndey Tapha Sosseh (Gambia Press Union) and Winfred Nii-Boye (Media Foundation).

The press conference started with a short video clip of the interview of the Gambian President that led to this recent repression. I read the press statement, followed by a presentation by Ndey and Winfred spoke about their media alert. The Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists gave a solidarity message.

Continue reading ‘Well attended press conference on Gambia in Nigeria’

Amnesty International’s section Sierra Leone held a press conference at the section’s office to inform journalists of the gross human rights violations and the state of terror in Gambia. The press conference was attended by journalists of both the print and electronic media.

The agenda for the conference included: welcome and background information about the state of human rights in Gambia, a press statement and questions and answers session. The following press houses and TV stations attended: Awoko, New Vision, Exclusive, Premier News, Spark, Spectator, Journalists for Human rights, Radio Democracy 98.1, Premier Tok Radio, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Station TV, ABC TV and Bible Broadcasting Network Radio.

Continue reading ‘Sierra Leone: Communicating the state of human rights in the Gambia’