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| Missionary workers due in court | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Scottish missionary and his wife being held in a high security prison in The Gambia are due to make an appearance in court. | |
| David Fulton and his wife Fiona were working as Christian missionaries in the African country. | David Fulton and his wife Fiona were working as Christian missionaries in the African country. |
| They were arrested two weeks ago charged with sedition. | They were arrested two weeks ago charged with sedition. |
| Jim Rae, a friend of the couple, told BBC Radio Scotland he had had little contact with them since their arrest, but understood they would be in court. | |
| Mr Fulton, 60, from Troon in Ayrshire, and his 46-year-old wife, from Torquay in Devon, were arrested on 29 November after being accused of undermining the government of The Gambia. He had been working as a chaplain in the mainly Muslim country's army. | Mr Fulton, 60, from Troon in Ayrshire, and his 46-year-old wife, from Torquay in Devon, were arrested on 29 November after being accused of undermining the government of The Gambia. He had been working as a chaplain in the mainly Muslim country's army. |
| There is always a sense of irony in Dave's letters and stuff like that, but it is not satirical Jim Rae | There is always a sense of irony in Dave's letters and stuff like that, but it is not satirical Jim Rae |
| Mr Rae, from Motherwell, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that he had not had any direct contact with Mr or Mrs Fulton since their arrest, but he had been in touch with other friends in The Gambia. | Mr Rae, from Motherwell, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that he had not had any direct contact with Mr or Mrs Fulton since their arrest, but he had been in touch with other friends in The Gambia. |
| He said that Mrs Fulton had originally been held in the police headquarters in the capital Banjul with the couple's two-year-old adopted daughter, but had since been moved to a prison. The child is being cared for by associates of Mr and Mrs Fulton's Bible study group. | He said that Mrs Fulton had originally been held in the police headquarters in the capital Banjul with the couple's two-year-old adopted daughter, but had since been moved to a prison. The child is being cared for by associates of Mr and Mrs Fulton's Bible study group. |
| Mr Fulton, who has lived in The Gambia for 12 years, is being held in a different prison, where he is either refusing to eat or unable to eat. | Mr Fulton, who has lived in The Gambia for 12 years, is being held in a different prison, where he is either refusing to eat or unable to eat. |
| Mr Rae added: "We don't know what the situation is, but we are told that he is poorly. We do know for certain that the trial will get under way today. | Mr Rae added: "We don't know what the situation is, but we are told that he is poorly. We do know for certain that the trial will get under way today. |
| "For me, Dave does what he does best, which is to go and preach and things like that. He circulates me with some of the letters that are supposed to be material witness stuff. Nowhere in any letters that I have through my emails is there anything that could remotely be called seditious. | "For me, Dave does what he does best, which is to go and preach and things like that. He circulates me with some of the letters that are supposed to be material witness stuff. Nowhere in any letters that I have through my emails is there anything that could remotely be called seditious. |
| "There is always a sense of irony in Dave's letters and stuff like that, but it is not satirical - it is more with a sense of irony and humour." | "There is always a sense of irony in Dave's letters and stuff like that, but it is not satirical - it is more with a sense of irony and humour." |
| The couple worked with pastors in The Gambia | The couple worked with pastors in The Gambia |
| Mr Fulton, a former army major, is said to have been writing a book which is expected to be used against him in the trial. | Mr Fulton, a former army major, is said to have been writing a book which is expected to be used against him in the trial. |
| But Mr Rae said: "It is not about the government that he was writing - he is writing a book about his life story, most of which I have read and some of it is highly entertaining but I never read anything about how the government operates or anything like that." | But Mr Rae said: "It is not about the government that he was writing - he is writing a book about his life story, most of which I have read and some of it is highly entertaining but I never read anything about how the government operates or anything like that." |
| However, Mr Rae said the book did touch on the difficulties "of being a missionary, or of being anyone out there, trying to do good." | However, Mr Rae said the book did touch on the difficulties "of being a missionary, or of being anyone out there, trying to do good." |
| The prosecution has accused the couple of writing letters to individuals and groups abroad to "bring into hatred or contempt, to excite disaffection" against the Gambian president. Mr and Mrs Fulton deny the charges. | The prosecution has accused the couple of writing letters to individuals and groups abroad to "bring into hatred or contempt, to excite disaffection" against the Gambian president. Mr and Mrs Fulton deny the charges. |
| The Gambia is one of Africa's smallest countries and has been ruled by President Yahya Jammeh since he seized power in 1994. | The Gambia is one of Africa's smallest countries and has been ruled by President Yahya Jammeh since he seized power in 1994. |
| President Jammeh's government has been criticised by international rights groups for its attitude to civil liberties, especially freedom of the press. | President Jammeh's government has been criticised by international rights groups for its attitude to civil liberties, especially freedom of the press. |
| The country has a secular constitution, but its population is 90% Muslim. | The country has a secular constitution, but its population is 90% Muslim. |
| The Foreign Office has said it was providing consular assistance to Mr and Mrs Fulton. | The Foreign Office has said it was providing consular assistance to Mr and Mrs Fulton. |