Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Women Journalist Association of The Gambia (WoJAG) has expressed deep concern over reports of physical, verbal, and cyber-attacks on two of its members, Kaddy Jawo of Malagen and Jainaba Sonko of QTV Gambia. These incidents have raised alarm about the safety and freedom of women journalists in the country.

On July 8th, 2024, Kaddy Jawo was physically assaulted and verbally abused by security officials at the National Assembly while covering parliamentary proceedings. The attacker accused Ms. Jawo of being immodestly dressed, barring her from entering the legislative house. The assault resulted in life-threatening bruises on Ms. Jawo’s neck.

In a separate incident, Jainaba Sonko faced online threats, bullying, and insults after a video of her criticizing the conduct of peaceful protesters on QTV’s morning show went viral. This cyberbullying has added to the growing concern about the safety of journalists in digital spaces.

WoJAG has strongly condemned both the physical attack on Ms. Jawo by the National Assembly security officer and the cyberbullying directed at Ms. Sonko. The association emphasizes that these actions pose significant threats to freedom of expression and press freedom in The Gambia.

“The attacks against both women journalists are unacceptable and deeply concerning. Women journalists already endure a lot of challenges in their daily work. Any acts of violence against any journalist, no less against women journalists, is unacceptable behavior in any civilized society,” stated Annette Camara, President of WoJAG.

Banna Sabally, the Secretary General of WoJAG, urged journalists to adhere to the ‘Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics’ in their work. She stressed that attacks on journalists threaten the constitutional mandate of the press and undermine freedom of expression. Sabally called on the public to refrain from intimidating journalists, highlighting the need to protect The Gambia’s fragile democracy.

“The journalism profession is guided by moral principles that are clearly spelled out in the Gambia Press Union code of conduct. We cannot afford to be unethical while doing our work. Let’s at all times uphold the code of conduct to avoid any forms of bias and professional conduct that could potentially put us at risk,” Sabally added.

WoJAG has urged the National Assembly to address the attack on Ms. Jawo with the highest professional standards and called on the public to avoid subjecting vulnerable groups to online harassment. The association also encouraged both the National Assembly and the public to report complaints against journalists to the Media Council of The Gambia, which is empowered to resolve such issues.

The Women Journalist Association of The Gambia remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the rights and safety of journalists and advocating for a press environment free from intimidation and violence.