Testifying for media freedom - but at what price

CPJ have done a great story on one of the key witnesses in the Chief Manneh case at the ECOWAS Court of Justice. It's both impressive and disturbing - having given evidence against the Gambian government, Ousman Darboe has had to give up his job and his life in the Gambia and is now in what amounts to a witness protection programme in the United States, with his wife and children. It's a stark illustration of the difficulties encountered in bringing impunity cases, and something not to be ignored. It raises a legitimate question: was this too high a price for getting a judgment against the Gambia? Perhaps not - the Manneh case set an important standard and helped put the ECOWAS court on the map as a realistic avenue for redress for human rights abuses - but the price paid by witnesses is an important factor to take into account.