Gambian Police Attack, Detain Journalist Yusef Taylor

On July 5, Taylor reported on his Facebook, where he uses the alias “Flex Dan” and has 2,630 followers and 4,900 friends, that a local court had ruled that a piece of disputed land belonged to the Global Hearts of Medical Mission, a local healthcare organization, and that, despite the ruling, several of its members were arrested for visiting the land and one was allegedly beaten by police.

Later that day, Taylor arrived at the Senegambia police station to report on the people arrested over that dispute and was taking photos when an officer stopped him and asked to see his press identification card, the journalist said.

After Taylor complied, the officer insisted he stop taking pictures, he told CPJ; when Taylor objected, explaining that he was only doing his job, five officers joined in shoving the journalist out of the station.

An officer then grabbed Taylor, tearing his shirt as he dragged him back to the station, arrested and charged him.

Police detained Taylor for four hours and released him following intervention by a representative of the Gambia Press Union and other local journalists, according to Taylor and the union’s statement.