the U.N. Decision Just Received!

At long last, I am attaching the final opinion of the U.N. on the Manneh case we tried so long ago before the ECOWAS Court in Nigeria. The opinion suggests that Manneh may yet be alive and held in some secret prison. Alas, our sources tell us that he is no longer alive. See my previous posts on this aspect of the case. Next, we need to see what sacnctions can be imposed. And so it goes...I am quite pleased for the Manneh family and the MFWA and the attorneys who brought this ultimate result about. Below is my email to Kwame' and the others.


Kwame' et al: On behalf of the International Senior Lawyers project I am very pleased to send across the ether the attached final opinion from the U.N. which presents a total and ultimate victory to the Manneh family. This result has come about due to the years of strong and unremitting effort of Kwame Karikari and the MFWA and my sponsoring orgn, The ISLP, and the attorneys in W. Africa (Femi Falana and AkotoAmpaw) and especially the Freedom Now orgn and lawyers at Hogan and Hartson (Brendan Groves, Erica Mintzer, Rose Hickman, Jeremy Zucker) all of whom caused this decision at the U.N. to come forth.

OPINION No. 14/2009 (REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA)

Communication addressed to the Government on 28 May 2009.

Concerning: Chief Ebrima Manneh.

The State is a Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Update on Manneh et al.

For you who are still following my blog, I am pleased to advise that the U.N. has issued a decision in the Manneh case which is pending there. The decision has been sent to the government of Gambia for its review and reaction prior to its publication to all of us. Thus, we do not yet know the content of the decn but I do anticipate something favorable for the Manneh family and against Gambia. I have been told that a we will learn of the decn and its contents sometime in Nov. so stay tuned for for this event,

I also want to report that six other jailed journalists in Gambia have at last (Sept 7, 2009) been released from that state's custody after a presidential pardon. This action was primarily due to constant pressure from the MFWA and Kwame its director. These journalists were jailed on Aug 17, 2009, so it took some time for this to occur. All were initially given two year prison sentences and were serving those terms during an appeal when the pardon was given.

Maybe Gambia is finally responding to the world's attention. Let us hope so. Until next time...

Latest Update on Manneh Case

I have just learned that the proceedings at the U.N. have been delayed re the Chief Manneh case. I am awaiting word as to when a decision will be given and will post this next step when so advised. In the meantime, six U.S. Senators have pressed the Gambian Govt. for information concerning Chief Manneh and his release (but we are certain that he is not alive). In that connection, there is a meeting planned with the Gambian Ambassador to the U.S. that will at least increase the pressure upon Gambia to bring appopriate closure to the case. However, Gambia seems to have escaped major scrutiny for its actions thus far. In the meantime the Media Foundation of West Africa is proceeding on a second case before the ECOWAS Court re Gambia which involves a young journalist who was tortured but escaped upon bail release. More about his story later.

Manneh Case at the U.N.

I am pleased to report that the Manneh Case tried in Nov 2007 and early 2008 resulting in a judgment before the ECOWAS Court is pending hearing before the United Nations at the Hague in later this month or sometime next month. It was filed there on Nov 4, 2008, bwcause Gambia had yet not acknoledged the ECOWAS judgment.

Last week Gambia stated through its Minister of Justice [sic] that it does not have custody of Mr. Manneh. What a lie! This aftn a senior police source from Gambia broke the news that Manneh was definitely in police custody and the source last saw him a year ago at the notorious Mile Two prison when he was whisked from there in the middle of the night. He is certain that Manneh died shortly thereafter. The source would not give his name since he would undoubtedly be tortured and killed by this ruthless regime. The source said that a plain clothes officer took him out of the prison at 2AM because the situation had gotten out of control.

What all this means to me is that Gambia just got snookered out of its defense that it never had custody of Manneh; thus, it should lose before the U.N.

Stay tuned dear reader...

The Saga Continues

Those of you following my blog will be interested to know that Gambia has refused so far to respond to the J entered on June 6, 2008 in favor of Chief Manneh. You should also know that we have not been idle. I am pleased now to report that United Nations will likely get directly involved in the Chief Manneh case.

On Aug 22 the Freedom Now Orgn announced that it will pursue the case before the U.N.We are thus seeking the Manneh family's support to do so and I have offered the services of our law firm in the drafting of the necessary petition to that august body. This orgn's decision to support Manneh is epochal and rare since it carefully chooses its battles on behalf of prisoners of conscience worldwide. Its last such petition was filed on June18, 2008, on behalf of Aung Kyi of Burma who has been held under house arrest in Rangoon, Burma, for 12 years even though she is the demoratically elected leader of that country. Although we believe that Manneh is dead we have no accountability or even acknowledgment of this. The filing of this petition for Manneh will give him legal,political and publc relations efforts worldwide as one of only a handful of prisoners placed on this high pedestal. Stay tuned dear reader.

Judgment Day for Chief Manneh

WOW!!! The ECOWAS Court has just delivered a strong judgment(June 5,2008)in favor of Chief Manneh against the West African country of Gambia. In the Court's first human rights decision it declared the arrest and detention of Manneh on June 6,2006, to be illegal and ordered Gambian authorities to immediately release him. As our proof established, Manneh disappeared on that date and has never been accounted for though he is believed to have been killed.

In this case of first impression, the family of Manneh was awarded the sum of $100,000 as damages to be paid by Gambia. You will recall that Gambia has consistently refused to produce Manneh or give an account of what happened to him.

I am pleased that I was a part of the team that assisted in the prosecution of this suit and congratulate the Media Foundation of West Africa for its dogged persistence in seeing this matter through to judgment.

I will report on further developments as they occur. Till next time...

Manneh Case Redux

On my last post I indicated that the five state Gambian policemen who abducted Manneh had been summoned to the ECOWAS Court in Nigeria to give testimony and explain what they did to Manneh who was last seen in their custody on June 6, 2006. They were to appear last week before the Court. In defiance of the Court's order, all five refused to appear. Consequently, the Court set the date for the final, final judgment for June 5, 2008. I sincerely believe that at long last a strong judgment will be rendered against Gambia.

I should also mention another related incident. One of our witnesses at the last hearing was a Gambian journalist named Yahya Dampha who had named some of those involved in Manneh's abduction. He presently lives in Senegal as an exile. Last week the Gambian govt attempted to kidnap him while he was at his new home in Senegal. He recognized one of those persons to be one of the apparati of the Gambian Intelligence agency. Fortunately, his neighbors came to his aid and prevented the kidnapping. Prior to this, he was receiving threatening phone calls. Was it a mere coincidence that the attempt was made the day before the five police agents were to come to the ECOWAS Court and give testimony. I leave it to the reader's imagination as to how all this fits together and how ominous this portends for Yahya's future unless he gets out of Senegal. Stay in touch...

New Suit in Sierra Leone

After months of work and preparation, the lawsuit challenging the criminal libel and sedition laws of Sierra Leone has now been filed with the Supreme Court of that country. This challenge is the first of its kind in West Africa, and if won, will start to change the culture of this area concerning the ability of journalists and citizens to criticize their government.

This matter was one that I addressed with the Minister of Information of that country on Nov 14. At that time, he encouraged the bringing of this suit and indicated that a serious review of the new democratic regime's position on this repressive law. Our challenge is based on the point that this law is unconstitutional and should thus be stricken. The Supreme Court will now schedule the case for argument sometime in the months ahead assuming that the govt actually decides to oppose our position.

Stay tuned...

Manneh Case Update

Well here I am into the middle of Feb and I doubt if anyone is still checking the blog. In the event someone is out there in the ether, here we go. The Chief Manneh case was to come to Judgment on Jan 31 but did not. Instead, the ECOWAS Court continued the case to Mar 14 at which time it ordered the five policemen who arrested Manneh to come to the Court and explain what there actions were and what they did with Manneh who has now "disappeared" since June 6, 2006. Of course our testimony establishes that he was dying in the prison hospital without records some considerable time later. It appears that the Court intends to cause these policemen to be subject to cross-examination for their deeds. Our concern is simply that Gambia will not allow them to come to the Court, and if they do, they will simply lie b/c to do otherwise will likely mean death to them. Hopefully, justice though ponderously slow will ultimately win out. Obviously, the case will not end on Mar 14 but be subject to further proceedings. C'est la guerre and till next time...

Photos and Articles of Interest

Click here to see all of the photos from my two months in Ghana.

In addition, check out this article in the Indiana Lawyer and this one in the North Vernon Sun.

I am currently visiting my son, Craig, and his wife, Ellen, and their two daughters, Grace and Julia, in Macon, Georgia for the holidays. Best wishes to all of my readers for a healthy and happy 2008.