In 2004 the former editor of the newspaper Point, Deyda Hydara, was murdered. Five years later, in June 2009, the Gambia Press Union issued a statement complaining of the lack of any serious investigation, and criticised the dismissive manner in which the country’s president had spoken about Mr Hydara. The six members of the union’s committee were prosecuted for sedition for their comments about the incompetence of the authorities, and after a brief trial were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Following a vigorous campaign by various national and international human rights organisations they were released.
MLDI funded the defence of the ‘GPU 6’
