Assaults on journalists assuming hellish proportions under NPP – OccupyGhana

Pressure group OccupyGhana has taken a swipe at government over recent allegations of brutalities against journalists, saying the impunity is assuming “hellish proportions.”

It said such allegations are not new but it is disturbing that “the assaults on members of the media keep getting bolder and bolder.”

The group, therefore, called for an immediate cessation of this and wondered what could be happening to ordinary Ghanaians if journalists, with voice, are suffering such fate.

“If this is what happens to journalists, then we shudder to think of what is happening to other voiceless Ghanaians in the quiet at the hands of security operatives.”

These were contained in a statement issued on Friday, May 14 in reaction to allegations of assault by Citi FM’s Caleb Kudah, who was recently arrested at the premises of the National Security Secretariat.

The journalist claimed he was beaten and slapped many times for filming within the premises.

OccupyGhana appears to be incensed by this and posed: “Was Mr. Caleb Kudah, at any point during his accosting by the National Security operatives, informed of what specific Ghanaian law he had breached by his mobile phone documentation of the issue or object that had piqued his journalistic interest?

“Was the journalist read his rights at any point during Lt-Col Serebour’s (Rtd) description of an interrogation?

“Under what law did National Security operatives coerce both journalists into deleting materials on their personal mobile telephony devices?”

The pressure group was also irked by a statement issued by the Chief Director of the National Security Ministry on Thursday, May 13, describing that statement as an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians.

“The Chief Director of the Ministry of National Security alluded to some ‘No Photography’ rules at restricted security zones. Can he be kind enough to refer us to what law his description of such rules is grounded in?

“We have no faith that the National Security Ministry can provide a satisfactory investigation into the damning allegations and therefore would like to advise Government to set up an independent body of inquiry into the matter.”