Amnesty International says it has noticed a surge in police brutality across Ghana including attacks on journalists in the line of duty.
Country Director of organisation in Ghana, Genevieve Partington who raised the concern on Foreign Affairs on Joy News, explained that a number of these infractions were captured in the latest global report on the State Human Rights (2022/23) issued by Amnesty International.
“We are looking at police brutality, there have been a number of cases where you journalists have been attacked wrongfully. At the end of the day, even if you have done something wrong you are innocent until proven guilty, so you can’t have the police asking you to do inhumane things whilst you are awaiting trial or being held against your will so police brutality has gone up,” she said.
Excerpts of the State of Human Rights Document issued by Amnesty International noted that “Various incidents were reported of police officers using excessive force”.
It stated that on February 3 2022, a group of plain-clothes security officers assaulted a radio presenter, reportedly damaging his eardrum, when he refused to surrender his phone.
The presenter filmed the officers escorting handcuffed suspects in Takoradi.
Also, it added that on May 17, 2022, protesters attacked a police station during a violent protest in Nkoranza, Bono East Region.
The police fired shots, killing a bystander. At least five protesters sustained injuries including gunshot wounds.
On the 13th of June, 2022 the media reported that police used tear gas and fired warning shots into the air to disperse a student protest in the Ashanti Region.
At least 25 students were treated for respiratory issues and other injuries. The government denied that any live shots were fired at the students.
An investigation was opened and three police officers were disciplined as a result.
Joy News’s Latif Iddrisu was assaulted in the line of duty at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Headquarters in Accra.
He had been assigned to report on a demonstration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the arrest of the former Deputy General Secretary of the party, Koku Anyindoho.
Human rights groups express worry that Latif and scores of other victims continue to reel under the effects of the use of excessive force by the police.
