(MFWA/IFEX) – On 21 September 2006, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) threatened legal action against persons or groups of persons who physically attack journalists while they carry out their legitimate duties, because “the rising incidence of physical attacks on the media by individuals poses a serious threat to press freedom and the right of people […]
(MFWA/IFEX) – On 21 September 2006, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) threatened legal action against persons or groups of persons who physically attack journalists while they carry out their legitimate duties, because “the rising incidence of physical attacks on the media by individuals poses a serious threat to press freedom and the right of people to know”.
A statement issued in Accra and signed by its general secretary, Bright Blewu, emphasized that the GJA would now resort to legal action, because condemnations in press statements have failed to stop the growing incidence of attacks by non-state actors on journalists.
The GJA condemned alleged recent attacks on Raymond Archer and David Tamakloe, editor and reporter, respectively, of “The Enquirer”, an Accra-based independent newspaper, by Mercy Anane, wife of Ghana’s Minister of Road Transport and four others, while at the offices of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) (see IFEX alert of 21 and 14 September 2006).
It also made reference to an alleged violent chase of Andrew Edwin Arthur, editor of “The Independent”, an Accra-based independent newspaper, by hired guards of Kwabena Amaning, a suspected drug criminal.
The statement described the blatant harassment and intimidation of journalists as “worrying” and therefore called on the inspector general of police and the minister of the interior to curtail the rising incidents of violence against journalists.
On 26 August, Richard Mensah, a reporter from Citi FM, was threatened by Issah Abass, one of the suspected drug criminals, for reporting details of his background, when he (Abass) testified before the Georgina Wood Committee.
The Wood Committee had been set up to investigate the disappearance of 77 kilograms of cocaine from a fishing vessel at the Tema Harbou. A source told Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) that alleged threats by Issah were relayed to Mensah by a police officer. Mensah has however confirmed the threats to MFWA.
The GJA’s statement followed a similar one issued by MFWA in August. The MFWA statement catalogued at least eight incidents of attacks on journalists in the last eight months. The MFWA supports the GJA’s proposed actions. The MFWA would like to remind journalists and the security agencies that elsewhere in the world drug dealers and their cohorts have usually targeted journalists with violent attacks, including murder.
