The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) has urged the government to train the security personnel to understand Journalism and the importance of freedom of expression in a democracy.
“The government should provide comprehensive training and reform of the security sector to understand journalism and the importance of freedom of expression in a democratic government,” TRRC recommended in its report.
The commission also recommended the government to reform the Criminal Code to fully protect media freedom and freedom of expression.
“The government should reform the Criminal Code to fully protect media freedom and freedom of expression, in particular by decriminalising sedition and defamation, ensuring that individuals’ reputational interests can only be safeguarded through civil litigation, in conformity with international human rights law,” the commission added.
These recommendations of the commission are in volume 7 of its report on the attack on the media and freedom of expression attack on political opponents under Jammeh. The report was submitted to the Gambian President-elect, Adama Barrow in November and made public on 24 December.
The commission’s recommendations followed its investigation of the various crimes perpetrated against the media and media practitioners between July 1994 and January 2017 under former president Yahya A.J.J Jammeh.