Amnesty International Ghana has denounced the military brutality shown to certain Ashaiman communities in response to a young soldier’s death.
On Tuesday, 7 March 2023, residents of Ashaiman were brutally treated during a military operation with armored vehicles and a helicopter. A total of 182 people were picked up and given over to the military police.
Because of dread, some locals spent the entire day indoors, enforcing what appeared to be an unauthorized curfew in the town.
Although the army acknowledged in a statement that the operation had received approval from the military high command, it claimed that the purpose of the operation was not to exact revenge for the death of Trooper Imoro Sherrif but rather to find those responsible.
Amnesty International Ghana responded to the incident by issuing a statement in which it declared its opposition to all types of violence and violations of human rights. It also condemned the violence used by the military against people.
The statement said that the military should back off and let the Ghana Police Service conduct in-depth investigations into the regrettable death of the soldier.
The statement also served as a reminder that, as the Commander in Chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces, President Akufo-Addo, the Minister of Interior, the Ghanaian Armed Forces’ senior leadership, and other law enforcement officials in Ghana, they are obligated by international human rights law to promptly, independently, fully, and effectively investigate this unfortunate incident.
Amnesty International Ghana demanded an immediate independent investigation so that those military personnel responsible for the abuses of Ashaiman’s citizens’ human rights would be held accountable and the victims would get fair reparation.
In order to pursue justice, the group urged the residents of Ashaiman to show restraint and maintain their composure.
Amnesty International Ghana demanded an immediate independent investigation so that those military personnel responsible for the abuses of Ashaiman’s citizens’ human rights would be held accountable and the victims would get fair reparation.
In order to pursue justice, the group urged the residents of Ashaiman to show restraint and maintain their composure.
Read details of the full statement below:
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GHANA CONDEMNS MILITARY BRUTALITY IN ASHAIMAN
Amnesty International Ghana has taken notice of a video recording making rounds on social media and other news outlets of alleged military brutality in Ashaiman following the alleged stabbing and killing of a young soldier Imoro Sherrif, on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
According to media reports, a mandate was issued by the Military High Command to deploy military personnel into Ashaiman to search for the culprits of the crime, this unfortunately led to innocent civilians facing brutality from the military personnel. A series of human rights abuses involving but not limited to flogging, restricting free movement of residents and breaking into people’s homes were meted out on persons of Ashaiman Constituency. To this effect, innocent people have been hurt both physically and psychologically due to this inhumane incident.
This in no way reflects the mandate of the military which clearly states that “The Armed Forces shall be equipped and maintained to perform their role of defence of Ghana as well as such other functions for the development of Ghana as the President may determine”- 1992 Constitution of Ghana in Article 210 clause (3).
The Ghana Armed Forces regulations, Armed Forces Act, 1962 Act 105 places obligations on military officers as defenders of the nations. It obliges them not to interfere with rights of others more than to the extent unavoidable to pursue the legitimate aim they are following.
Amnesty International Ghana is against all forms of violence and human rights abuses and condemns the violence meted out by the Military on civilians. The Military is to take a step back and allow the Ghana Police Service to conduct thorough investigations into the unfortunate killing of the soldier.
We would like to respectfully remind the President of Ghana who is the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Minister of Interior, the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces and other authorities involved in law enforcement in Ghana, that under their international human rights obligations, they must promptly, independently, thoroughly, and effectively investigate this unfortunate incident.
Amnesty International Ghana is calling for an independent investigation, as matter of urgency, to ensure that the military personnel involved in carrying out human rights abuses against the people of Ashaiman are held accountable and that adequate compensation be given to these victims.
We want to reiterate what the MP of Ashaiman said to the people of Ashaiman that all parties should exercise restraint and remain calm, while we seek justice.
Amnesty International is a non-political, not-for-profit human rights organization working for the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights standards. It is a global movement of over 10 million people in more than 160 countries.
Source: newsthemegh.com