GJA President Tells Akufo-Addo To Release Remanded Anti-Galamsey Protesters
- Albert Kwabena Dwunfour, president of the Ghana Jounalists Association (GJA), has condemned the remand of anti-galamsey protesters
- The GJA president noted that while there were excesses at the demonstration, the two-week remand of the protesters was too extreme
- He told the Akuffo-Addo-led government, the Police Service and the Judiciary to release the protesters immediately
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The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) president, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has joined calls for the release of the Democracy Hub protesters.
The GJA president made his appeal on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at the just-ended GJA Media Awards 2024 in Accra.
Source: Twitter
He was referring to the arrest and detainment of protestors demonstrating against the galamsey menace devastating the country’s land and water bodies.
The arrests and subsequent detainment and remand of the protesters have been condemned by many Ghanaians as well as civil society organisations who have described it as an infringement of the protesters' rights and freedoms.
Albert Dwumfour, at the 2024 GJA Media Awards, noted that while the police had acted professionally during the recent demonstration, their use of excessive force on protesters did not go unnoticed.
He stated that the GJA also acknowledged the excesses on the part of some demonstrators and condemned them but was quick to point out that the remand of these protesters for two weeks was extreme.
Albert Dwumfour said remanding protesters for two weeks over a misdemeanour had serious negative implications for human rights and human rights protection.
He said it sent the wrong signal to the international community about Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens' rights and freedoms.
He urged the government, the Ghana Police Service and the Judiciary to approach the situation in a balanced manner to avoid infringing on citizens’ rights.
“As a result, we add our voice to calls on the government, police, and the judiciary to take steps to release the protesters immediately,” he said.
Police accused of unlawful arrest of protesters
The Ghana Police Service has been accused of unlawfully arresting over 46 protesters following a three-day #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration in Accra.
According to the police, the protesters had allegedly been engaging in lawless conduct, including dismantling police barricades and obstructing traffic flow.
Reacting to the arrests, a lawyer and member of the Democracy Hub legal team, Prince Ganaku, said the police’s actions are unlawful and reprehensible.
He stated that the police had refused to provide a list of those it picked up from the protest grounds and had also refused to disclose police stations where protesters were being kept.
Ganaku told Citi FM that at several police stations, police officers have refused to provide any information on arrested protesters or their whereabouts, frustrating efforts to provide these protesters with legal representation.
Lawyers drag police to CHRAJ
YEN.com.gh reported that lawyers have 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.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
