Democracy Hub, a youth activist group, which is dedicated to upholding democratic principles in in the country, alongside 23 other Ghanaian citizens have initiated legal proceedings against the Ghana Police Service.
The group in a statement issued on Friday, March 22, 2023, indicated that the lawsuit stems from the alleged unlawful arrest, torture, and detention of protesters during its Occupy Jubilee House demonstration on September 21, 2023.
“This legal action represents a crucial step forward in the fight against impunity and in the defense of democratic freedoms in Ghana.
“Democracy Hub remains committed to advocating for the rule of law and ensuring that all citizens can safely exercise their rights without fear of repression”.
Democracy Hub
The statement further recounted that on the first day of its protest about fifty police officers aggressively apprehended demonstrators exercising their constitutional right to protest.
According to the group, the situation resulted into chaos and brutality, which subsequently led to the peaceful citizens who participated in the exercise taken into custody by officers of the Ghana Police Service.
Furthermore, the Democracy Hub claimed in its statement that following the apprehension of the protesters, they were later transported to the Regional Police Headquarters in Accra, where they faced further mistreatment and were detained without any justifiable cause.
The group bemoaned of the situation under which several of its protesters endured almost ten hours of unjustified detention, extortion, and torture before being released by the Ghana Police Service.
According to the group, its suit is in response to what it described as the egregious violations of protesters human rights and abuse of power.
The statement strongly asserted that, the treatment of some members of its September 21 2023 demonstration endured not only infringed upon their fundamental rights of assembly and expression but also struck at the heart of justice and accountability in governance.
The Struggle Against Impunity
Moreover, the group posited that its legal action represents a significant milestone in what it described as a struggle against impunity and the defense of democratic freedoms in the country.
The statement asserted the group’s unwavering commitment to advocating for the rule of law and ensuring that all citizens can exercise their rights without fear of repression.
In addition, the statement mentioned that the Democracy Hub would continue to stand as a stalwart champion for transparency, accountability, and the protection of human rights within the realm of public governance.
The statement emphasized that as the convener of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse and #FixTheCountry protest movements, it shall continue to be at the forefront of initiatives aimed at fostering a more just and equitable society in the country.
It is important to recall that in the morning of September 21, 2023, some officers of the Ghana Police Service arrested some citizens who participated in the famous Occupy Jubilee House protest, that was organized by the Democracy Hub.
Media reports indicated that some of the citizens who were arrested by the Ghana Police Service were detained for long hours, which led to some renowned lawyers in the country volunteering to secure the release of the detainees.
The opposition National Democratic Congress condemned the arrest and brutalities meted out against the protestors of the Occupy Jubilee House demonstration by the Ghana Police Service.
The General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, in a statement decried of the situation, describing it as crude tactics being deployed and meted by the Ghana Police Service against the peaceful protestors
