The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has expressed strong condemnation regarding the remand of 28 protesters from the Democracy Hub into police custody, along with 11 others who were sent to prison.
This decision came after the Accra Circuit Court’s ruling on Tuesday, September 24, where the demonstrators faced charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically unlawful assembly.
In a press statement released on Thursday, September 26, the CDD described the remand as a significant abuse of power, asserting that the police could have managed the situation with greater restraint and respect for the protesters’ rights.
The organization criticised the police for their unnecessary use of force and brutality against citizens who were simply exercising their civic rights to protest.
Additionally, they took issue with the police’s decision to publicly release the full list of those arrested, arguing that such actions further undermine the integrity of the demonstration.
The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) strongly condemns the unlawful tactics employed by the Ghana Police in the recent arrest and detention of some 40 citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest over the weekend. These individuals were demonstrating against critical national issues, including the rising incidence of state capture, widespread corruption, and the unchecked illegal smallscale mining (galamsey) that is devastating the country’s water bodies. Alarmingly, the police also arrested ordinary bystanders who were merely going about their daily activities.
“CDD-Ghana is particularly concerned about the Ghana Police Service’s repeated use of excessive and illegal control tactics, especially when dealing with young protesters. These actions undermine both the letter and the spirit of Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana,” an excerpt of the statement said.
