Journalists Sanctuary International condemns latest Police brutality on Journalists in Ghana

Journalists Sanctuary International has condemned latest assault and detainment of journalists by officers of the Ghana Police service.

In a statement issued on Friday September 22 at its Los Angeles office, president and founder of Journalists Sanctuary International Latif Iddrisu stated in part that “Ghana has for the last couple of years been consistent at declining on the press freedom index, largely due to attacks on critical journalism by security operatives, politician(s), and members of the public who are bent on silencing the media. The blatant attacks by officers of the Ghana police service is yet another blot on the country’s reputation, and regrettably pushes the West African nation further downward on the world press freedom ranking”.

The statement further states that “The tactics of Intimidation, scare tactics, and physical attack on journalists and the news media, and a regime in which citizens cannot freely embark on a peaceful  protest and speak into the microphone of the news media, has a different name other than democracy”.

“The conduct of the arresting police officers and whoever issued the directive to deliberately put spanners in the wheels of the protesters, and assault and detain journalists, makes nonsense of the 1992 constitution and the International covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” Part of the statement says.

Read the full statement here

Press Release 22 September 2023