Activists in the #FixTheCountry movement are calling for the immediate release of some protestors who were arrested Thursday while the #OccupyJulorBiHouse protest was underway.
In a press release issued by the pressure group, they voiced their disapproval of the conduct of the Ghana Police Service, describing their interference as an “unreasonable, unlawful and unconstitutional arrest of protesters” who participated in the event.
The release also demanded “the immediate and unconditional release of all protestors,” emphasising that the conduct of the police poses a serious threat to democratic stability in the country.
It further noted that around 8:00a.m. on Thursday, September 21, the police used brute force to detain protestors who had convened to picket.
“As far as we are aware, members of the public continue to be arrested for showing support for the demonstration,” it stated.
The press statement further claimed that they have had reports that those arrested were being sent to different police stations to impede the work of members of their legal team to adequately respond to the victims as required by law.
The activists thereby urged all Ghanaians to support the ongoing demonstration to aid in “rejecting and resisting the blatant violations and suppression” of the fundamental human rights and freedoms of speech of the populace.
Read the full press statement below:
BACKGROUND
The #OccupyJulorBiHouse demonstration organised by the pressure group Democracy Hub proceeded despite an injunction from the Ghana Police Service.
The protest was scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 21, with the aim to demand a range of reforms, including a reduction in the cost of living, an end to corruption, and improved governance.
But on Wednesday, the Ghana Police Service in a press statement, claimed they had duly served the organisers of the protest with the court process after it filed an injunction application to stop the protest.
Despite the warnings from the police, the protestors went ahead with their protest, debunking the claims that the police had served them with an injunction from the court.
Eventually, a video on social media posted by a key protestor, Oliver Barker Vormawor showed the protestors in black and red seated in a bus.
“We don’t know where they are taking us,” he said.
He noted that they were disappointed in the actions of the police.
