GJA condemns attack on journalists
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has strongly condemned the attack on a female photo journalist who was performing her duties at the court today.
The Daily Guide photographer, Gifty Lawson, was among journalists who went to the Accra Human Rights Court to cover court proceedings involving Police CID, DSP Gifty Mawuenyega Tehoda who had just been granted bail following weeks of detention over her alleged role in the cocaine swapping scandal.
She (photographer) was allegedly manhandled and later arrested by the BNI for attempting to take a photograph of the Police CID.
The GJA has therefore, petitioned the Inspector General of Police Paul Tawiah Quaye to order an immediate investigation into the matter.
A statement signed by GJA Vice-President, Affail Monney said it considers the nature of the assault and detention of a journalist and other persons performing their lawful duties to be exceptionally violent and too difficult to comprehend.
It added that the assault at the court, regardless of its nature is an indication that there are still people and institutions that are not only highly intolerant of the media, but also ready to deal with them ruthlessly and with impunity and this does not augur well for Ghana’s democracy.
Below is the full statement issued by the Ghana Journalists Association.
NEWS RELEASE 12th JANUARY, 2012
GJA PETITITONS IGP ON ASSAULT ON JOURNALIST AND OTHERS
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) strongly condemns the attack on journalists particularly, the Daily Guide photographer, Gifty Lawson and others who were covering the court proceedings at an Accra Human Rights Court today and wish to petition the Inspector General of Police Mr. Paul Quaye to order an immediate investigation into the matter.
We consider the nature of the assault and detention of a journalist and other persons performing their lawful duties to be exceptionally violent and too difficult to comprehend.
No assault on any media personnel can be justified. The assault at the court, regardless of its nature is an indication that there are still people and institutions that are not only highly intolerant of the media, but also ready to deal with them ruthlessly and with impunity. This does not augur well for our democracy.
We condemn the attack and call for the immediate release of all those who were arrested at the court premises. We further urge the IGP to call his men at the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) to order.
The media are indispensable to the building of democracy. We therefore wish to appeal to all security agencies to educate their personnel on the need to preserve press freedom and freedom of expression and to restrain their men from carrying out such acts of unwarranted attack and intimidation which undermine democracy.
We also wish to urge all media personnel, especially, journalists on assignments, not to engage in activities that may bring them into conflict with the law enforcement agencies.
SIGNED
Affail Monney
Accra, May 22, 2012
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