The 2024 Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has descended on the judiciary for what he called “high-handedness” against protesters who hit the streets of Accra to register displeasure at illegal mining and its ravages in the country.
Pressure group Democracy Hub had some of its members arrested during the three-day demonstration which the police characterized as an “unlawful assembly” and have since been arraigned in court.
They have been charged and remanded in prison and police custody for two weeks after being denied bail.
This has been widely condemned by a section of the public, with the former President adding his voice to the condemnation.
Mr Mahama deems the action by the court as high-handedness and an abuse of human rights.
“We must balance our need to maintain law and order with protecting the rights and freedoms of our citizens. Remanding Democracy Hub demonstrators for 2 weeks is high-handed and an abuse of their rights,” he wrote on his Facebook wall.
Throwing his weight behind the protest, he said the youth reserve all rights to embark on protests, especially in respect of key issues like the destruction of the environment through illegal mining.
He has thus urged the government to intervene.
“Draconian judicial decisions such as this won’t stop them from speaking out. The authorities must request the judge to review the remand decision and grant them bail immediately.”
Source:opemsuo.com