John Mahama Joins Calls For Release Of Anti-Galamsey Protesters
- John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress flagbearer, has rebuked the remand of protesters for two weeks by an Accra Circuit Court
- According to the former president, the Accra Circuit Court's action amounts to judicial high-handedness
- He has urged the authorities to urge the court to review its decision and grant bail to all the protesters
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The National Democratic Congress flagbearer has joined calls to release the anti-galamsey protesters in Accra.
John Dramani Mahama stated that the Accra Circuit Court’s decision to remand the protesters for two weeks was high-handed and an abuse of their rights and freedoms.
Source: UGC
In a post on X, John Mahama stated that the authorities must balance the need to maintain law and order with protecting the rights and freedoms of our citizens.
“The youth of Ghana have a right to engage in manifestations to protect their future, especially with respect to key issues like the destruction of the environment through illegal mining.
“Draconian judicial decisions such as this won’t stop them from speaking out,” the former president said.
He has urged the powers that be to request the Accra Circuit Court to review the remand decision and grant the protesters bail immediately.
Protesters' lawyer reacts to Mahama's plea
A lawyer assisting with the protesters' defence told YEN.com.gh that the former president's call for their release was welcome.
Lawyer Godslove Bogobley said it was great news that prominent voices were joining the demand for the release of the protesters and hoped it would change the course of the prosecution.
"More noise is always welcome. The more prominent the voices, the better. It is our hope that while we continue to fight in the courts, this noise also pressures the Attorney-General to drop the bogus charges against the protestors," he said.
NDC demands release of protesters
John Mahama's demand follows an earlier press statement from his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NDC unequivocally condemned the arrest and remand of 28 Democracy Hub protesters into police custody and 11 others into prison custody.
It has also demanded the discontinuation of the prosecution of Democracy Hub protesters.
The NDC’s statement follows the Accra Circuit Court’s September 24, 2024, decision to remand protesters into prison and police custody after they were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and unlawful assembly.
The NDC condemned the high-handedness of the police and the courts in the matter, particularly accusing the Ghana Police Service of being pliant to the despotic behaviour of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.
The NDC also noted that the Accra Circuit Court’s decision to remand these protesters to two weeks of prison and police custody for misdemeanour offences was excessive judicial action.
Lawyers drag police to CHRAJ
YEN.com.gh reported that some lawyers reported the Ghana Police Service to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice for violating protesters' fundamental rights.
The lawyers alleged that the conduct of the Ghana Police Service following the arrest and detainment of more than 45 protesters has been unconscionable and inhumane.
The lawyers have urged CHRAJ to investigate the matter and pursue legal action against the service.
Proofread by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
