State authorities must end brutalities against journalists-PPP
Accra, May 18, GNA- The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has called on State authorities to end « incessant brutalities » on journalists by the police and operatives of the National Security Ministry.
The Party said the entire chapter Five of the 1992 constitution guaranteed the fundamental human rights of citizens and frowned on any kind of torture and inhumane treatment on persons whether or not such persons were arrested or convicted of a crime.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Nana Ofori Owusu, the National Chairman of PPP, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Monday.
The statement expressed concern over the recent « Rambo style arrest and alleged torture » of two Citi FM Journalists and said such attacks must stop.
“Caleb’s alleged torture is one of the numerous incidences of such impunity by security operatives in recent past and it is sad to note that it will not be the last since nothing is being done to prevent such inhumane acts and human rights abuses from happening again in the country, » it said.
The statement noted that the recommendations of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission’s report, calling for the removal of certain persons from the National Security would have helped to serve as a framework to address such problem if the government had implemented them.
It added that many of such « unprofessional officers » were still at post and continuing to act in ways that undermined the human rights of citizens.
The Party asked the government to institute an urgent independent investigation into the unprofessional arrest and alleged torture of Caleb Kudah and bring officers of the National Security Ministry found culpable to book.
Also, to prevent future brutalities on persons in custody, CCTV cameras should be provided in all interrogation rooms.
The Party also recommended the full implementation of the Emil Short Commission’s report, which the government’s white paper admitted and to punish all persons deemed to have acted unprofessionally.
It also recommended the implementation of the report of the Constitutional Review Committee to reduce some powers of the executive for good governance.
