The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has described the conviction and seven-day imprisonment of Larry Alans Dogbey, the Managing Editor of The Herald newspaper, as “unfortunate”.
Mr Dogbey was sentenced to a week in prison for contempt of court by an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo.
The conviction stems from a publication regarding a legal dispute between businessman Kevin Okyere and Petraco SA.
In a statement signed by GJA General Secretary Dominic Hlordzi, the association confirmed it is closely monitoring the situation and seeking legal counsel to determine its next steps.
“In keeping with our mandate to safeguard press freedom and protect the rights and welfare of journalists, the GJA is seeking direction from its legal team to determine the appropriate course of action,” Mr Hlordzi said.
As the legal review gets underway, the GJA has appealed to media practitioners and members of the public to avoid speculative commentary that could inflame passions.
“While this process is ongoing, we urge media practitioners and the general public to remain calm and exercise utmost restraint in discussing the matter,” the statement noted. “We encourage all stakeholders to be circumspect in their commentary and to allow due process to take its course.”
The association expressed solidarity with the jailed editor and assured its members that a formal position and subsequent actions would be communicated in due course.
“The GJA remains committed to defending media freedom, promoting responsible journalism and protencting the rights of journalists in Ghana,” Mr Hlordzi added.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana