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General news for Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Source: 3 News
2021-03-03
Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi
A Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi has said that the public can criticize judges in Ghana, however such criticism must be constructive.
He made this comment in a joint media engagement with the Ghana Journalists Association, the National Media Commission and the Ghana Bar Association on Wednesday, March 3.
“When the judges speak, that is the end of our roles, it is in our place to enter the studies, in the debates, in the comments, that responsibility falls on you [Media]… Let’s be constructive, we are happy to be criticized. Criticize us as violently as you can, but for God’s sake don’t insult us.
“Do not reprimand us, do not speak of hatred and do not defame us.”
His comments came after judges came under fire for a directive given to media companies to remove stories that put Ghana’s highest court judges in a bad light.
The directive was issued on behalf of the Court by lawyers for the Ghana Judicial Service, Sory @ Law.
They claim that some of the media posts are “a series of inflammatory, hateful and offensive statements and speeches. . . Against the judges ”.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) described the directive as outrageous.
At a press conference in Accra on Monday, March 1, GJA President Affail Monney said that “the GJA is, to put it mildly, shocked to read this detestable directive pregnant with insidious threats to media freedom in Ghana, that is promoted as a land of freedom and justice. With all due respect, this is outrageous. “
“Unsurprisingly, our phones have been inundated with calls, both local and international, from journalists, media watchdog organizations, defenders of press freedom and freedom of expression, seeking to know exactly what has happened since issued that controversial statement from the Judicial Service.
“It is universally recognized that media law is not absolute, but qualified. And legal experts teach us that such qualification must coincide with the dictates of the law, due process and must be exercised in such a way that legitimate aims and objectives are achieved.
“In crafting the outrageous statement, the GJA is primarily of the opinion that the Judicial Service should have avoided any impression or situation that has the tendency to instill fear and promote a culture of silence in which Ghana had been involved during the period of autocratic misrule.
Criticism, they say, is a gift that all branches of government need. Therefore, it would be an error of justice to deny the Judicial Power that gift. Ann Landers once said that ‘the naked truth is better than a well dressed lie’. ‘Contextually, the simple truth is that the Judicial is not immune from criticism.
“However, that criticism must be done in a way that does not discredit the administration of justice. To this end, the GJA urges the media community to remain calm and not be tempted to scandalize the court with unhinged remarks or verbal stones, no matter how provocative the Judicial Service statement may be. “
