The National Democratic Congress’s presidential candidate for the December elections, former president John Dramani Mahama, has denounced the two-week remand of 39 Democracy Hub as “high-handed.”
The former president claimed that the court’s decision to remand the anti-galamsey protestors into jail and police custody was excessively harsh and needed to be overturned.
Former President Mahama stated yesterday in a Facebook post that the right to protest was protected by the constitution and that young Ghanaians would not be deterred from expressing their rights in light of such rulings.
He declared, “The youth of Ghana have a right to engage in manifestations to protect their future, especially in respect of key issues like the destruction of the environment through illegal mining,”
He said, “Draconian judicial decisions such as this won’t stop them from speaking out. The authorities must request the judge to review the remand decision and grant them bail immediately.”
The demonstrators faced accusations of unlawful assembly and conspiracy to commit crimes.
Mr. Mahama said that since the judgment violated residents’ fundamental human rights, it was necessary to strike a balance between upholding law and order and defending individuals’ rights and freedoms.
“Remanding Democracy Hub demonstrators for two weeks is high-handed and an abuse of their rights,” he remarked.
He believes that such arrogance won’t intimidate the young people of Ghana, who are fed up with the government’s lackluster efforts to combat the dangerous threat of illicit mining.
The demonstrators entered a not guilty plea to the accusations of unlawful assembly, producing public disorder, harming a public officer, breach of public peace, and causing unlawful harm after they were taken into custody on Sunday.
Source: newsthemegh.com