The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has condemned the arrest and detention of some 40 Democracy hub protestors over the weekend.
The Accra Circuit Court 6 has remanded a number of Democracy Hub demonstrators in custody for two weeks.
The accused were arrested by the police during a 21-23 September protest at the road intersection adjoining the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
They pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, assault of a police officer and conspiracy to commit a crime.
In a statement on Thursday (26 September) CDD Ghana said it is particularly concerned about the Ghana Police Service’s repeated use of excessive and illegal control tactics, especially when dealing with young protesters.
The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) strongly condemns the unlawful tactics employed by the Ghana Police in the recent arrest and detention of some 40 citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest over the weekend.
CDD-Ghana is particularly concerned about the Ghana Police Service’s repeated use of excessive and illegal control tactics, especially when dealing with young protesters. These actions undermine both the letter and the spirit of Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Specifically, the Center condemns the following actions:
Finally, we call on the Ghana Police Service to fulfill their duty to protect, not oppress, the citizens of this country. Their responsibility to maintain public order must be carried out in accordance with the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution.
CDD-Ghana further urged the government and all relevant authorities to uphold the constitutional rights of all Ghanaians, including the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and protection from unlawful detention.
Below is the full statement:
