By Stanley Senya
Accra, Sept. 24, GNA – Journalists Sanctuary International have called on the Inspector General of Police to initiate an independent investigation into the assaulted journalist and get the officers involved to account for their actions.
This comes after a journalist was assaulted while reporting from the frontline of a peaceful protest by a handful of Ghanaians on Thursday, September 21, 2023, in Accra.
In a news release copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, it said was shameful that for a country that prided itself as the beacon of democracy in the West African sub region, intimidated, arrested and detained protestors for exercising their constitutional right.
It said the trend of brutalising journalists by officers of the Ghana police service was alien to a constitutional democracy, a system of governance Ghana had fought for and worked to perfect for the past forty years.
“It is hard to believe that an institution that is supposed to uphold the principles of rule of law by protecting citizens and treating them with dignity and compassion, is systematically turning round to abuse, attack, and dehumanise them”.
According to Article 21(1)(d) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution (as amended): “All persons shall have the right to freedom of assembly, including freedom to take part in processions and demonstrations…”
Additionally, Ghana is a State Party to the 1966 International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, article 21 of which states that
“The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others”.
The statement said the conduct of the arresting police officers and whoever issued the directive to put spanners in the wheels of the protesters, and assault and detain journalists, made nonsense of the 1992 constitution and the international convention on Civil and Political Rights.
It said Ghana’s executive branch of government which was the appointing authority of the Inspector General of Police, and in whose interest the police displayed the usual act of heavy handedness and unprofessionalism, must encourage the police administration to desist from attacking law abiding citizens for exercising their rights, and journalists for doing their work.
It urged the Ghana Police Service to do the right thing to instill some confidence in a service that had over the years become infamous amongst the Ghanaian people.
GNA