ECOWAS Court orders release of journalist

In a landmark ruling, the ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the release of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh. It also awarded USD100,000 in damages against the Gambian government. Manneh was last seen when he was arrest by Gambian security forces some time ago; his present whereabouts are officially unknown. The Gambian authorities have denied they hold him; it did not cooperate in the proceedings before the ECOWAS Court.

This is the first freedom of expression ruling by the ECOWAS Court, or any African regional court, and will likely lead to more cases being lodged there. It is the only international human rights court not to require that local remedies are exhausted before a case can be lodged.