By Isatou Sarr
The Gambia Press Union (GPU) on Wednesday organised a one-day training for journalists and police officers on the safety of journalists during election deployment, ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.
The training, held on 14 October at the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) in Bakau, brought together 70 participants, comprising 40 police officers and 30 journalists, including reporters, editors, media managers and heads of journalists’ associations.
The engagement aimed to address concerns about journalists’ safety during elections and explore ways for the police and media to work together to ensure a peaceful environment in which journalists can perform their duties without intimidation, harassment or obstruction.
In her welcoming remarks, GPU President Isatou Keita said journalists and media workers continued to face verbal and physical abuse from political party supporters, political leaders and, in some cases, security officers.
She said many journalists had not received training on how to protect themselves in the field, while several attacks on media practitioners in the past remained unresolved.
Ms Keita urged journalists to understand the role of the police during elections, observe safety precautions and report ethically, particularly in a tense political environment.
Addressing police officers, she said journalists carrying cameras and notebooks were not their opponents but professionals providing the public with information needed to make informed voting decisions.
She also reminded journalists that police officers deployed during elections were responsible for managing crowds and maintaining public order. She encouraged media practitioners to identify themselves, understand their rights and communicate with officers to prevent misunderstandings.
Ms Keita called on the government to guarantee that journalists could work without intimidation, harassment, arrest or obstruction. She also urged public institutions to provide timely access to information and called for accountability when violations occurred.
Representing the Inspector General of Police, Famara Jobarteh, who is responsible for International Affairs at the Gambia Police Force, thanked the GPU for organising the engagement ahead of the elections.
He said the meeting provided an opportunity for journalists and police officers to discuss their respective responsibilities before encountering one another at political rallies, public gatherings, polling stations and other election-related events.
Mr Jobarteh said journalists’ safety was essential to keeping the public informed and that media practitioners should be able to carry out their work without threats or unnecessary interference.
Information Minister Dr Ismaila Ceesay said credible elections depended not only on voting and electoral administration but also on access to accurate information and public confidence in fair and transparent reporting.
He said journalists helped voters understand campaign promises, electoral procedures and candidates’ positions while providing verified information about the electoral process.
Dr Ceesay urged security personnel to perform their duties professionally and proportionately and called on political parties, candidates and supporters to respect the rights and safety of media workers.
He said threats and attacks against journalists deprived the public of access to information, stressing that protecting journalists was inseparable from safeguarding the public’s right to know.