Police yesterday arrested forty-nine (49) people in connected with what the law enforcers say is an unlawful assembly and a defiance of the Public Order Act, and protesting at the precinct of the Jubilee House, the seat of government.
In a press release(published) hours after the arrest; which has received and keeps receiving condemnation from the public, the Police said it arrested the protestors as a result of the “flagrant disregard of the court process served on the organisers of the Democracy Hub group, which seeks to prohibit them from embarking on a planned demonstration within the vicinity of the Jubilee House from Thursday, 21st to Saturday, 23rd September 2023.”
The 49, according to the Police suspects are currently in custody assisting in the investigation, were arrested within the vicinity of the Jubilee House and the 37 Military Hospital area.
The police, meanwhile, indicated that it does not take delight in preventing any group from demonstrating as the Service had a track record of providing security for demonstrations in the past.
“The exception, in this case, is the Police disagreement with the organisers on the venue, the Jubilee House, being a security zone. In view of the above, we reiterate our position on the need for the general public in the interest of public order and public safety to disregard any invitation by the organisers to take part in any unlawful demonstration until the determination of the matter by the court on the 26th September 2023,” it added.
But the Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has condemned the arrest of organisers and key members of the ‘#OccupyJulorbiHouse Demonstration’, describing it as shameful and backward.
In a post on X formerly Twitter, Mr Gyamfi bemoaned the “heinous barbarism happening” under the watch and leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akufo Dampare, who many perceived to be different.”
“The arrest of the innocent citizens who decided to embark on a peaceful protest against the misrule of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government this morning is not only unlawful but shameful and backward.
“There cannot be any place for this odious abuse of fundamental human rights in any democratic country governed by the rule of law.
“Even more reprehensible is the fact that some of the unlawfully arrested protestors have had their phones illegally seized and have been subjected to beatings and all manner of inhumane and degrading treatments by the Ghana Police Service. Sadly, this heinous barbarism is happening under the watch and leadership of an IGP, who many thought would be different”.
He demanded the immediate release of all arrested and detained protestors.
“The NDC condemns this shameful conduct by the Ghana Police Service in no uncertain terms. And demands the immediate release of all the unlawfully arrested and detained protestors,” he asserted.
Read below Sammy Gyamfi’s post on Twitter
The arrest of the innocent citizens who decided to embark on a peaceful protest against the misrule of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government this morning, is not only unlawful but shameful and backward.
There cannot be any place for this odious abuse of fundamental human rights in any democratic country governed by the rule of law.
Even more reprehensible is the fact that, some of the unlawfully arrested protestors have had their phones illegally siezed and have been subjected to beatings and all manner of inhumane and degrading treatments by the Ghana Police Service.
Sadly, this heinous barbarism is happening under the watch and leadership of an IGP, who many thoughts will be different.
The NDC condemns this shameful conduct by the Ghana Police Service in no uncertain terms. And demand’s the immediate release of all the unlawfully arrested and detained protestors.
Mr. IGP; after all the support and goodwill you have enjoyed from Ghanaians since your appointment, we certainly deserve better from you. Enough of the institutionalized tyranny!
Release the protestors NOW! SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ. National Communications Officer National Democratic Congress.
