The Gambia Press Union holds its third national journalism awards ceremony on Friday. The Press Freedom Hero awards used to be called GPU President’s Award.
The Gambia Press Union has awarded five distinguished people with Press Freedom Hero Awards, the institution’s most prestigious awards reserved for those who have played a crucial role in advancing the course of freedom of expression in the country.
Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou was honoured the awards for playing a leading role as a state minister in matters relating to advancement of freedom of expression in the country.
“Tambadou has been a great friend of journalists in this country,” said GPU President Sheriff Bojang Jr.
Tambadou led the Government in honouring the regional Ecowas Court of Justice judgment against Gambia Government and paid fines ordered by the court to several journalists including the family of Deyda Hydara, Chief Ebrima Manneh and others.
Tambadou wins the prestigious awards on Friday with Gambian lawyer and press freedom advocate Awa Sisay Sabally and a Nigerian lawyer and press freedom advocate Femi Falana.
Awa, a commissioner at the Constitutional Review Commission, has been the lawyer of GPU in several cases involving journalists who were persecuted in the country in the past.
Femi Falana had represented GPU at the regional Ecowas Court of Justice in the case of Chief Ebrima Manneh against Gambia Government and others.
The top Nigerian lawyer has petitioned the country’s Truth Commission to probe the case of 50 West African migrants who were reputedly killed in the country in 2005 and the disappearance of Chief Manneh.
Also given the prestigious awards was the Gambia Press Union School of journalism and University of the Gambia School of Journalism.
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