The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has taken on the ministers concerned with the country’s security for their silence on the alleged brutality meted out to protesters during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest.
The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, said the Ministers of Defence, National Security, and the Interior had not made any statements on the happenings of the protest.
According to him, a lack of communication between the security agencies and institution endanger public trust and consensus.
Hundreds of demonstrators in the past week gathered in Accra for a three-day anti-governmental protest over the current economic hardship.
The protesters, who were demonstrating against the government’s economic policies and alleged corruption, were met with excessive force from the police on Thursday, September 21.
The police in the course of the protest arrested 49 people including journalists, who showed up within the vicinity of the Jubilee House and the 37 Military Hospital on Thursday to participate in the #OccupyJulorBiHouse demonstration.
In a press statement, the police indicated that these suspects were taken into custody for unlawful assembly and violation of the Public Order Act.
The police noted that the arrested person disregarded court orders served on the organizers, Democracy Hub, to refrain from embarking on the planned demonstration.
The incident sparked outrage from some Ghanaians who accused the police of using excessive force against unarmed civilians.
Mr. Whittal therefore said in an interview that the police misconduct themselves in the course of their duty.
Story by: Osei Akoto (Teacher Kojo) / Ahotoronline.com
