Ghana

The following is an ARTICLE 19 letter to President Jerry Rawlings, calling on the Ghanaian authorities to drop the threat to charge Kabral Blay-Amihere with sedition and end their continuing harassment of the journalist: 9 February, 2000 His Excellency Jerry Rawlings President of the Republic of Ghana The Castle PO Box 1627 Accra, Ghana FAX […]

**Updates IFEX alerts of 7 and 3 February, 20 and 17 January 2000** (CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is protesting in the strongest terms against the ongoing harassment of Kabral Blay-Amihere, president of the West African Journalists’ Association and editor of “The Independent” newspaper. Blay-Amihere was first arrested by armed soldiers on 13 January 2000. The soldiers […]

(WAJA/IFEX) – On Thursday 3 February 2000, after several hours of interrogation, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police cautioned Kabral Blay-Amihere, editor of “The Independent”, that he was being investigated for sedition in connection with an item on the military in his paper’s edition of 11 January. Under Ghana’s Criminal Code of 1960, […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – On Monday 31 January 2000, a High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Apaloo sentenced Stephen Owusu, editor of the private newspaper “Free Press”, to one day in prison for publishing a story which is the subject matter of a legal battle currently before the court. The editor was also […]

(WAJA/IFEX) – Kabral Blay-Amihere, editor of “The Independent” newspaper, has been asked by the police to report to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police on 3 February 2000, in connection with an 11 January publication in “The Independent” about the military. Kabral, president of WAJA and executive member of the International Federation of […]

The following is a 17 January 2000 IFJ letter to President Rawlings, expressing the organization’s astonishment at the detention of Kabral Blay Amihere: His Excellency Jerry Rawlings President of the Republic of Ghana The Castle PO Box 1627, Accra Ghana Telefax: 233 21 664 089 January 17th 2000 Your Excellency, I am writing on behalf […]

A Ghanaian journalist, Eben Quarcoo, has been saved from serving a two year prison sentence following the payment of his fine in a libel case by the International Federation of Journalists. Quarcoo, former editor of the bi-weekly “Free Press”, was sentenced in October 1999 to a 90-day imprisonment for intentional libel for an article that […]

(WAJA/IFEX) – On 13 January 2000 at 10:00 p.m. (local time), Kabral Blay Amihere, president of WAJA and executive member of the International Federation of Journalists, was picked up in the middle of a journey by armed military personnel. The military claimed that the arrest was due to a publication that appeared in “The Independent” […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a 12 November 1999 letter to Minister of Justice Obed Asamoah, RSF protested the jail sentence received by an Accra journalist and asked him to contact the responsible parties to secure the journalist’s release. RSF reminded the minister that international human rights organisations believe that prison sentences for press offences such as […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – The following is a statement released on 1 June 1999 by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in reaction to the fine imposed on the “Ghanaian Chronicle”: **Updates IFEX alert of 1 June 1999** The Ghana Journalists Association has learnt with a great deal of dismay and concern of the unprecedented record […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – An Accra High Court has ordered the “Ghanaian Chronicle”, a private newspaper in Ghana, to pay an unprecedented record fine of forty-two million cedis (approx. US$17,500) for libel to Minister of Roads and Transport Edward Salia. Presided by Justice S. T. Faakye, the court held that Salia had suffered damage to […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – Ebo Quansah and Mohammed Affum, editor and deputy editor, respectively, of “The Ghanaian Chronicle”, an independent newspaper in Ghana, were fined one million cedis each (US$400) for contempt of court by an Accra High Court presided by Mr. Justice R. K. Apaloo on 18 May 1999. They have been given seven […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – FEG announced yesterday that Tommy Thompson, publisher of the “Free Press Newspaper”, died after a short illness at the SSNIT Hospital in Accra. He was 66 years old. He’s believed to have passed away on 21 September. **Updates IFEX alerts dated 13 August 1998, 30 and 28 July 1998, and 23 […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – A grand welcome ceremony has been planned for jailed editors Haruna Atta, Kweku Baako Jr. and Ato Sam to mark their release from prison on 22 August 1998. This is part of the effort by Friends of Free Expression, an ad hoc pressure group, to encourage members of the general public […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – An Accra circuit court trying two journalists, Eben Quarcoo and Kofi Coomson, together with Tommy Thompson, publisher of the “Free Press”, is to rule on whether or not to allow verbatim reports by journalists of legal proceedings against the trio. No dates have been fixed for the hearing, but Judge Victor […]

(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – On 31 July 1998, the Court of Appeal dismissed an application for bail filed by jailed editors Haruna Atta (“The Weekend Statesman”), and Kweku Baako Jr. (“The Guide”), pending the determination of an appeal against their conviction. In a split decision, the Court ruled that the application was unmeritorious. Justices J. […]