The Gambia orders two leading newspapers shutBy BABOUCARR CEESAY in Banjul | Sunday, September 16  2012 at  19:40

Two leading Gambia newspapers The Daily News and The Standard newspaper have been ordered to stop publishing.

Last Friday, men claiming to be from the office of the president visited the media houses and ordered the publishers to stop publication but did not give any explanations.

Madi M.K. Ceesay the publisher and CEO of The Daily News confirmed the order to stop publishing.

He said his company has chosen to continue publishing because it had no basis in law.

The Daily News established in 2009 by Madi M.K.Ceesay, an award winning Gambian journalist is published tree times a week, while The Standard is established in 2010 by Sheriff Bojang.

The two papers are among Gambia’s most vocal newspapers.

MediaCensorship

In The Gambia, media censorship and intimidation is common. Only last month, Teranga FM, a community radio was forced off by men from the National Intelligence Agency, who also said they get an order from the top.