Deyda Hydara facts for kids

Deyda Hydara (born June 9, 1946 – died December 16, 2004) was an important journalist from The Gambia. He helped start and was the main editor of The Point, a newspaper that reported independently. For over 30 years, he also wrote for big news groups like AFP News Agency and Reporters Without Borders. Earlier in his career, Deyda Hydara worked as a radio presenter at Radio Syd in The Gambia.

Starting The Point Newspaper

On December 16, 1991, Deyda Hydara helped create The Point newspaper. He started it with his childhood friend Pap Saine and another person named Babucarr Gaye. Babucarr Gaye left the newspaper a few months later. After that, Deyda Hydara and Pap Saine worked together for more than ten years to run the paper.

Standing Up for Free Speech

Deyda Hydara strongly believed that journalists should be free to report the truth. He often spoke out against the government of President Yahya Jammeh. President Jammeh was not friendly towards journalists in The Gambia.

On December 14, 2004, The Gambia passed two new laws about the media. One law made it possible for journalists to go to prison for writing things that were seen as harmful or rebellious. The other law made newspaper owners pay a lot of money for special licenses. They even had to use their homes as a guarantee. Deyda Hydara said he would challenge these new laws.

His Tragic Death

Just two days later, on December 16, 2004, Deyda Hydara was tragically killed. He was driving home from work in Banjul when an unknown person shot him. Two of his co-workers were also hurt in the attack.

For many years, people criticized the Gambian government. They said the government did not properly investigate his death. They also said the government scared people who spoke out about it. Deyda Hydara's family sued the government. They said the government did not do enough to protect him. In 2014, a court from the ECOWAS agreed with the family. The court ordered the government to pay the family $60,000 for damages and legal costs. However, the government has not yet paid this money.

Deyda Hydara's death is still unsolved. But in May 2017, after Adama Barrow became president, arrest warrants were issued. These warrants were for two army officers who were suspected in the case. In July 2019, a former army officer named Lt Malick Jatta said something important. He told a public hearing that Deyda Hydara was shot because President Jammeh ordered it.

Deyda Hydara left behind his wife and five children. After his death, he received special awards. In 2005, he won the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award. In 2010, he also won the Hero of African Journalism Award. He shared this award with another journalist, Ebrima Manneh, who had disappeared.

See also

• List of unsolved murders