The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Thursday issued a seven-day to the Ghana Police Service, threatening a nationwide media blackout on all police-related activities if action is not taken to address rising attacks against media personnel in the country.
The warning comes after over 10 reported attacks on Journalists, including the assault on JoyNews reporter Salomey Martey and on a GHOne TV reporter during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun on July 17, and a separate incident on July 30, where JoyNews reporter Carlos Calony was assaulted by armed military officers during a demolition exercise at Spintex in Accra.
At a press briefing on Thursday, GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, described recent assaults on Journalists as an attack on democracy and press freedom and has given the Police a seven-day ultimatum to meet these demands.
“If the police fail to adhere to our demands, we will boycott all Police-related activities and we will declare them as enemies of press freedom in this country,” Mr Dwumfour declared.
The GJA President observed that an attack on any journalist during the country’s democratic dispensation undermines the credibility of the process.
“Violence against a Journalist during a democratic process fundamentally undermines the credibility of that process. It kills free expression, shortens transparency, and sets a dangerous precedent for future elections,” added the GJA President.
He acknowledged the police’s statement that the officer involved in the Ablekuma North incident has been charged, but stressed that charging alone does not amount to justice.
“Justice must be seen to be done through a swift, transparent, and fair prosecution that results in meaningful accountability,” Mr. Dwumfour said.
The GJA is asking the Police Service to publicly disclose the identities of the two suspects they claim to have arrested in connection with the incident and provide full details on their arrest.
In addition, the GJA is demanding from the Ghana Police Service a detailed update on all reported attacks against Journalists within the last seven months, and a public report on the prosecution of the officer involved in the Ablekuma North incident with full timelines and court proceedings.
They are also seeking a clear disciplinary sanctions against all individuals uniformed or not who have assaulted Journalists, a concrete measures the police are putting in place to prevent future attacks and educate officers on media rights and press freedom, and a formal response to GJA’s earlier letter requesting a full investigation report on all assault cases including that of By Law Ltd and the Ablekuma North rerun. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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