Private legal practitioner, lawyer Kwaku Asare aka Kwaku Azar has indicated that Ghana did not repeal the criminal libel law to have it resurface again.
The lawyer believes that Ghana’s commitment to defend media freedom must be complete and total.
“It cannot and must not depend on whether we are in government or in opposition.”
Lawyer Azar says the government, the Ghana Police Service, prosecutors, and judiciary must allow the media to do its work without the fear that they will be abducted from their studios.
He added “The Constitution charges the media to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana. Media cannot discharge this responsibility if its under-resourced personnel risk going to jail each time they say something “unpalatable” or even “false” about government or government officials.”
Read his full post below
We did not fight the military for press freedom only to see its resurgence under the civilian government.
We did not repeal the criminal libel and seditious laws only to see its resurgence under the public order law.
We are not going to take lessons on false reportage from those who specialize in dispensing false reportage and propaganda.
Public officials, unlike most Ghanafuo, have platforms and media access to challenge so called falsehoods about them. They should fight falsehoods with transparency and truthfulness.
The Constitution charges the media to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana. Media cannot discharge this responsibility if its under-resourced personnel risk going to jail each time they say something “unpalatable” or even “false” about government or government officials.
In opting for a Constitution that guarantees media freedom, Ghanafuo have said that unfettered and robust debate and reportage about the conduct of government and public officials are more important than the occasional error or even falsehood that might hurt or damage the government or the officials’ reputations and egos.
Our commitment to defend media freedom must be complete and total. It cannot and must not depend on whether we are in government or in opposition.
The government, its police, prosecutors, and judiciary must allow the media to do its work without the fear that they will be abducted from their studios and sent to the cells en-route to the district courts via undated and error-laden charge sheets.
GOGO is not amused!
#SALL is the cardinal sin of the 8th Parliament.
Da Yie!
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
