The international non-profit and non-governmental organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for “an end to imprisonment for press offences in Ghana”, after three journalists have been detained on various grounds since the start of February.
The NGO based in Paris, France indicated on Wednesday February 16, 2022, in a press release that this was the fifth time a journalist has been attacked in Ghana since the start of the year.
RSF is also calling for a full investigation into a case of police violence two weeks ago against a journalist who is still hospitalised.
“In a country where arrests of journalists had become an exception, these new cases of detention and violence are very disturbing,” said Sadibou Marong, the director of RSF’s West Africa bureau.
“They are contrary to the exemplarity expected from a country renowned for the quality of its news reporting that is a direct consequence of the freedom with which journalism is practiced there”, he added.
The organisation therefore urge Ghanaian authorities to stop resorting to prison sentences for press offences in this country ranked 30th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index.
Read the full statement
Source AfrikPage