Leadership of the United Voice for Change movement has issued a statement condemning in no certain terms the police brutalities on “OCCUPYJULORBIHOUSE” demonstrators last Thursday.
They described the incident as irresponsible, unprofessional, unconstitutional, unwarranted and inhumane the molestation of unarmed peaceful protestors exorcising their constitutional right.
The statement signed and issued on behalf of the group by the convener said it is shameful and unacceptable that officers of the Ghana Police would act in such unprofessional and mean manner in the discharge of their core duties of maintaining law and order to protect lives and properties.
They argued that Ghana, as a democratic society gives its citizens certain rights and freedom which include the right to assemble and freedom of expression, adding that peaceful protest is one of the constitutional rights of Ghanaians enshrined in the 1992 constitution for individual(s) or group(s) to express their views and opinions on matters that affect them.
The statement pointed out that no portion of the 1992 Republican Constitution criminalizes protest or demonstration. It coated Article 21 (d) of the 1992 constitution which states that “A person shall have the right to freedom of assembly including freedom to take part in processions and demonstration.
The group acknowledges that though citizens’ rights and freedom can be restricted in line with grounded constitutional provisions, but not through autocratic and dictatorial style.
“The citizens freedoms may be restricted by law on grounds stated in the 1992 Constitution, but they cannot be denied. Any such denial will be unconstitutional and void”, they pointed out.
Citing the New Patriotic Party Vs. Inspector General of Police, where the Supreme Court was invited to interpret section 7, 8, 12, and 13 of the Public Order Act, 172 (NRCD68), the Supreme Unanimously ruled that, these provisions under the Public Order Act were in conflict and direct contravention with Article 29(d) of the Constitution since any such restriction on the right to freedom of assembly would make it (Article 29(d) )meaningless.
The statement further emphasized that the Ghanaian Police per this Supreme Court interpretation do not have nor hold that legitimate, constitutional or conventional right to stop such gathering after they have been notified five days ahead of time.
They therefore see what happened on Thursday as nothing but a ‘monumental international disgrace, unprecedented failure and an unconstitutional action which violates the fundamental human rights of those innocent demonstrators from “Democracy Hub” by the Ghana Police of which the Vice President of the republic, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumiah is its chairman.
The group, United Voices for Change on this note is asking the Ghana Police Service to answer to Ghanaians what informed their actions on those unarmed Ghanaian protestors last Thursday.
Leadership of the United Voice for Change expressed worry of how the Ghana Police Service has allowed itself to be used by powers that be to suppress and trample down the fundamental human rights of the Ghanaian.
They are therefore calling on all CSOs, the Asantehene Otumfuor Nana Osei Tutu II, Chieftaincy institutions, National Chief Imam, Faith-base and religious institutions as well as the international community to as a matter of urgency steps in and speak out in defence of the rights of the Ghanaian.
