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General news for Monday, December 28, 2020
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2020-12-28
Investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the police as a matter of urgency to launch a full investigation into the alleged death threats against Manasseh Azure Awuni and several other journalists in the country.
In a press release published on December 27, 2020, the Association described such death threats, particularly the latest one received by Mannaseh via email, as poisonous enough to take his life.
In this sense, they are calling on the appropriate neighborhoods to catch those responsible for such horrible events.
“The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has received disturbing reports of death threats issued against the independent investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, from someone believed to be a political fanatic aggrieved by an opinion piece written by the journalist awarded on the result of the Elections 2020.
“We have also received similar reports of death threats against other journalists across the country from people with political connections. This is the latest in a series of death threats issued against Manasseh in recent years. But the poison in the last death notice sent to him by email is poisonous enough to take his life, and that is why the GJA wishes to sound the alarm for everyone to respond, ”the statement read.
The association that made reference to the death of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale and some other journalists who have been brutally attacked, especially during the 2020 general elections, also lamented the rising rate of deadly schemes against Ghanaian journalists.
This, they believe, has diminished the rights of “freedom of speech and of the press”, which are the main officials of democracy in Ghana.
“We wish to draw the attention of our national and international media partners that, although Ghana is touted as a beacon of democracy in Africa, the nail of death is driving hard into the coffin of freedom of expression and liberty. of the press, who are the cardinal officials of democracy, ”the statement added.
Read the full statement below
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has received disturbing reports of death threats issued against independent investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni from someone believed to be a political fanatic aggrieved by an opinion piece written by the award-winning journalist. on the results of the 2020 campaign. elections.
We have also received similar reports of death threats against other journalists across the country from people with political connections. This is the latest in a series of death threats issued against Manasseh in recent years. But the poison in the latest death notice emailed to you is poisonous enough to put out life, and for that reason the GJA wants to sound the alarm for everyone to respond.
The GJA fully condemns such barbarous contemplation, machination, orchestration, plot and plan, whether individually inspired or collectively conspired, to kill a journalist for fulfilling a legal mandate guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
Given the growing lack of tolerance in our body politic and the inclination of some people to resort to brutality especially against journalists; given the reference to the gruesome murder of Ahmed Suale committed for the threat or to inform Manasseh about the fate that awaits him every time he picks up his pen to write, and given the fact that the evil person launched the death threat against Manasseh in Christmas Day, a day that marks the celebration of the life of Jesus Christ, the Savior, and in which the good will of humanity abounds, this barbarous act of intention must be condemned to death by reaching the bottom of it and dealing with the guilty decisively.
In regard to the above, we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate, arrest and prosecute the suspect as quickly and decisively as possible. We also call on the police to provide adequate security for Manasseh and other journalists across the country who have also received death threats. We believe that the seriousness that the police attach to these matters will help calm the nerves of journalists in particular,
Ghanaians in general and foreigners residing in the country on their safety and protection.
The GJA calls on the president, who is the commander-in-chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces, to condemn the death threats against journalists and to offer firm guarantees of their safety. We also call on the National Peace Council, political parties, civil society organizations, religious organizations, and all well-meaning Ghanaians to strongly condemn the death threats issued against Manasseh and other journalists in the country.
We also urge our national and international media partners, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) and Rapporteur San Frontier (Reporters Without Borders) to condemn the death threats against journalists in Ghana.
We wish to draw the attention of our national and international media partners that, although Ghana is touted as a beacon of democracy in Africa, the nail of death is driving hard into the coffin of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, who are cardinal officials of democracy.
And it’s time to stop the Pall Bearers from carrying the coffin of free speech and freedom of the press to the graveyard, as we try to raise them from the dead.
Kofi yeboah
(General secretary)
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