Godfred Dame Defends Government's Decision To Prosecute Democracy Hub Protesters
- Godfred Yenoah Dame has defended the government's decision to prosecute anti-galamsey miners
- Despite calls for their release, he said protesters must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others
- He said the protesters had exceeded freedom of expression into conduct described as unconstitutional
The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has defended the government’s decision to prosecute members of Democracy Hub who partook in an anti-galamsey protest in Accra.
He said their actions at the protest exceeded the limits permissible under free expression and thus threatened public safety.
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He noted that while Ghana's Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression, this freedom must be exercised responsibly and within legal remits.
Godfred Dame told the Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, that the actions of the Democracy Hub protesters threatened the nation’s peace and territorial integrity and thus must be made to face the full rigours of the law.
He cited several international examples of how democracies dealt with protesters who had engaged in unlawful behaviour and urged Ghana to follow suit.
He said setting an example of them would prevent any more threats to public safety, particularly as the 2024 general elections draw near.
“As I always say, freedom is not free. Serious responsibilities accompany it.”
Godfred Dame stated that while the subject of the Democracy Hub protest may be legitimate, its legitimacy does not matter when there has been a violent expression of free speech.
“The State must deplore and, in fact, prosecute acts of protestors which threaten the running of essential services, infringe on the right to free movement of others, or attack the safety of security forces,” he stressed.
He also disclosed that he had instructed the Police Service to expedite the investigation and prosecution of the protesters.
Godfred Dame also urged the judiciary to support the police by swiftly dealing with acts of violence and lawlessness, which would serve as a deterrent to others threatening to follow suit.
Alan urges Dame to drop case
Meanwhile, Alan Kyerematen has appealed to the Attorney General to file an application for nolle prosequi to discontinue the case against the Democracy Hub protesters.
He said the country’s democracy depended on the fair treatment of its young people.
According to Kyerematen, the protesters have been unfairly charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and unlawful assembly despite exercising their constitutional rights to protest.
He condemned the Ghana Police Service’s handling of the protest and their post-arrest treatment of protesters.
Analyst urges police to be protest-ready
YEN.com.gh reported that a security analyst had warned the Ghana Police Service to improve its handling of protests as the general election draws near.
Adib Saani said that with tensions very high ahead of the December polls, it was very likely that citizens would protest even more in the coming months.
The security analyst also warned those people calling for a Kenyan-style demonstration to happen in Ghana needed to cease with the fantasy.
Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
