The Democratic Accountability Hub (Democracy Hub), the organizers of the recent anti-galamsey protest has as formally submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Ghana Police Service, seeking detailed records on the treatment of protesters arrested, and detained during its recent anti-galamsey protests.
The group seeks to uncover critical information surrounding the treatment of the 53 protesters, who were arrested during a three-day demonstration held near the 37 Military Hospital Roundabout on September 22, 23, and 25, 2024.
“We write to request access to information through the Information Officer of the Ghana Police Service pursuant to Article 21(1)f of the Constitution and Section 18 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).
“Alternatively, in the absence of such a designated officer or office of Information Office(r), we direct this request to any other competent officer of whatever designation”.
Democratic Accountability Hub
Background of the Allegations
Highlighting the sequence of events, the activist group noted how following the protests, which called attention to government policies, particularly on galamsey and demanded accountability, 53 individuals were arrested and held in police custody for 15 days.
According to the group, statements made by the detainees upon their release between October 8 and 10, tell of severe neglect during their detention, claiming that they were either left unfed, served inadequate food, or, in some instances, given spoiled or unwholesome meals.
“Recognizing the statutory obligation of the Police Service and the Prison Service to provide wholesome and nourishing food in quantities sufficient to maintain the prisoner in good health, we write to request information that reveals further details on the aforementioned allegations”.
Democratic Accountability Hub
Details of the RTI Request
The RTI request, addressed to the Ghana Police Service, outlines a comprehensive list of information being sought to verify the claims made by the protesters and hold the relevant authorities accountable.
Specifically, the Democratic Accountability Hub requested the location of detention, particularly, the police station(s) where the 53 protesters were held during the 15 days.
The activist group also demanded the disclosure of the total amount of money spent daily on feeding the protesters, information on the number of times each protester was fed per day during their detention and a detailed list of the specific meals provided to the protesters each day of their detention.
Again, the Democracy Hub requested the details of any medicines or drugs that were administered to the detainees during their detention period.
It, in addition, demanded information on whether the food provided to the detainees was sourced from private food vendors, including the names and addresses of those vendors and a list of the police officers who were responsible for ensuring that the detainees were fed, along with their specific roles in overseeing food distribution.
Lastly, the activist group sought clarification on whether the responsible police officers ensured that the food provided to the detainees was safe and in good condition for consumption at the time it was served.
Call for Transparency and Accountability
In its request, the Democratic Accountability Hub emphasized the need for the Ghana Police Service to provide the requested information electronically, if possible, and offered to collect physical copies of the information if necessary.
The group also requested that the details be forwarded to their official email address for prompt review.
The group also forwarded copies of the RTI request to the Greater Accra Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service.
The submission of this RTI application comes at a critical time when public scrutiny of police conduct has been heightened.
The Democratic Accountability Hub expressed its willingness to pursue further legal or advocacy actions should the information reveal evidence of neglect or abuse during the detention of the protesters.
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