Foh-Amoaning must apologize to Amnesty Int. Board Chair - IDEC

Renowned Law lecturer, Moses Foh-Amoaning has been told to render an unqualified apology to the Board Chairman of Amnesty International Ghana, Mr. George Aggrey for describing him as a homosexual on a live radio interview.

According to the Integrated Development & Empowerment Centre (IDEC Ghana) - Friends of Amnesty International, the lawyer has no cause to tarnish the image of the Human Right activist, so, therefore, must apologise with immediate effect.

They described words used by lawyer Foh-Amoaning as “unfortunate and regrettable” in a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com.

The two resource persons held different views on homosexuality – however, their heated argument led to some personal attacks during the live interview on NEAT FM’s morning show 'Ghana Montie'.

Below is the full statement:

LAW LECTURER, MOSES FOH-AMOANING MUST APOLOGISE TO MR. GEORGE AGGREY, BOARD CHAIRMAN OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - GHANA AND AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.

We at Integrated Development & Empowerment Centre (IDEC Ghana) - Friends of Amnesty International, friends of Human Rights and Free Speech condemned the unwarranted attack and insults on Mr. George Aggrey, Board Chairman of Amnesty International - Ghana by Moses Foh-Amoaning – Very Respectable Law Lecturer and a Human Rights Advocate and we ask him respectfully to render an unqualified apology to MR. GEORGE AGGREY and Amnesty in general.

We noted with disappointment the insults and the name calling that characterized discussions on the NEAT FM’s morning show hosted by Kwesi Aboagye (23/02/2017) where two good Human Rights Authorities were called as resource persons to comment on a statement made by the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye when addressing some members of the Royal House Chapel on Monday, February 20, 2017, called for the amendment of the country’s laws to completely ban homosexuality and make it illegal.

We thought the platform was offered to explain to the public dispassionately the various perspectives to the rights of homosexuals vis-à-vis the call by The Speaker for a complete ban. Instead, the platform was used to hail insults by Moses Foh-Amoaning. These were some of his statements “Mr. Aggrey is a homosexual and lying to Ghanaians. I am putting it to you [Aggrey] that you are practicing gayism. You are a disgrace to your family. How can you admit anal sex is a right,” Source: http://people.peacefmonline.com/pages/peacefmonline/king_edward_ambrose/

These statements of Lawyer Foh-Amoaning are very unfortunate and regrettably so and he of all people knows that the 1992 Constitution guaranteed freedom of speech and expression by individuals, groups and institutions. Amnesty International spends millions of dollars protecting the rights of people across the World including homosexual, albinos and other minority groups.

We are One-Family dedicated to the promotion and protection of Human Rights in Ghana and beyond. We can/may disagree on values, principles, definitions of human rights on cultural, moral, legal and on religious grounds but we must remember that respect for each other’s views is a core value in human rights education and practice.

Human Rights is a challenging topic in Africa but in discussing it, we must endeavor to agree to disagree as intellectuals and not to violate the right of others to free speech. Individuals/groups can express their view on the matter however, it is the Ghanaian people who have the right to determine whether homosexuality should be legalized or not.

....Signed..... Samuel K. Agbotsey

(M.Phil. Human Rights)

Executive Director.

IDEC Ghana

[email protected]

0204676660/0244761749