GJA Condemns Police Brutalities On Joy News Reporter – GJA Press Release
March 28, 2018
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) condemns in no uncertain terms alleged police brutalities on award-winning broadcast journalist, Latif Iddrisu of Accra-based Joy News, at the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The reporter was there to cover protestations against the arrest of Koku Anyidoho, Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by sympathisers of the major opposition political party in the country.
In response to a question by the reporter about the name of the police riot control van, a police officer allegedly assaulted him and incited other police officers to brutalise the reporter inside the premises of the CID Headquarters. Latif Iddrisu was subsequently hospitalized, having suffered severe bodily pain.
We call on the Inspector-General of Police to, as a matter of urgency and priority, institute full-scale investigations into the alleged police brutalities on the reporter and bring to book any police officer found to have taken part in the act. We further entreat the IGP to call his men and women to order so that they would refrain from such acts of brutality against media practitioners in the future.
The police and the media have enjoyed cordial relations over the years, and it is our hope that the Police Administration would take steps to ensure that this incident does not mar such relations. We urged the police to always consider the media as partners in development, especially in the maintenance of national security, and not enemies or subjects of brutality.
The GJA expresses utmost sympathy to Latif Iddrisu and wishes him a speedy recovery to return to his job of promoting national development and serving the interest of the people. We encourage him never to be deterred by such attacks on his person and remain confident and committed to his professional calling.
The GJA wishes to take this opportunity to advise journalists and other media practitioners to take extreme precautions in covering sensitive issues so that they do not put their lives in danger. As must as possible, journalists must avoid risking their lives in conflict situations, especially when the police does not offer them protection. Inasmuch as there is an imperative need to tell the story, there is an equally important reason to, first of all, live to tell the story.
Affail Monney
(President)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CarqlDZ8gDc
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