Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Gambia Press Union and The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations – TANGO are expected to present and submit a position paper today to the National Assembly Select Committee on Education, Training, and ICT on the proposed Communication Bill, 2025.
The submission comes amid growing tensions between media stakeholders and the government over proposed media regulations that journalists and civil society groups say could threaten press freedom and expand state control over the media landscape.
On Monday, the GPU announced that it had lifted its boycott of media coverage of events hosted by the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).
The union said the decision to temporarily suspend the boycott was linked to an ongoing multistakeholder dialogue on the proposed regulations convened by the Gambia Bar Association.
According to the GPU, the move was made in “good faith” and was reciprocal to PURA’s decision to place a technical pause on the development of the proposed regulations while discussions continue.
“All media houses and journalists are therefore urged to resume coverage of events and media engagements hosted by the Ministry and PURA until further notice,” the union stated.
The controversy stems from proposed regulations that would require journalists, online media platforms, and influential social media users to register with PURA. The draft measures would also empower the regulatory authority to moderate online content.
Media organizations and civil society groups have strongly opposed the proposal, arguing that it would effectively give the state powers to determine who can practice journalism and express opinions online.
During an emergency meeting held on April 8 at the GPU headquarters in Fajara, stakeholders from across the media sector adopted a resolution rejecting the proposed regulatory framework advanced by the Ministry of Information and PURA.
The stakeholders further called on journalists, media houses, and social media users not to comply with any registration requirements imposed under the proposed system, warning that such measures could be used to arbitrarily deny individuals their constitutional rights to practice journalism and freely express themselves online.
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