Latest events show Criminal Libel Law has returned via a backdoor – Prof Azar

Discovered legal luminary and public-interest advocate, Prof Stephen Kwaku Asare popularly known as Kwaku Azar has said recent busts and detentions shows the particular Criminal Libel Law provides returned through the back doorway. His reaction follows the particular recent arrests, detention plus trials of various journalists as well as a civil society person for your alleged publication of fake news including ASEPA’s Mensah Thompson, Bobie Ansah associated with Accra FM and Oheneba of Power FM. This individual said persons who really feel defamed have a “cause associated with action in tort”. Plus “that suffices! ”“We came too far to be taken back to the particular dark days. ” This individual wrote. Prof Azar chided the courts for almost consistently taking the side of authorities in cases since Re Akoto while revealing the police have got “allowed themselves to become tools that the powerful can use to obtain their goals”. He mentioned the courts have tested incapable of being “the sentinel of free speech”. Read their full post“It was in 99 that Eben Quarcoo was handed a 90-day sentence just for publishing an article alleging that this then First Lady acquired smuggled gold out of the nation. In imposing the word, the learned judge stated that “he had not imposed the utmost sentence of three years so as not to send chilling surf down the spines of press practitioners in the country. ”But which is exactly what the judge do with his 90-day sentence! Through Re Akoto, our Idol judges have sided with strength and have proven woefully not capable of being the sentinel of totally free speech. As for our law enforcement and prosecutors, the least stated about their interest in safeguarding speech rights the better. They have got allowed themselves to become tools that the powerful can use to obtain their goals. That is why GOGO was pleased when Kuffour repealed the criminal libel and sedition laws which were used to jail journalists plus political opponents. GOGO is extremely concerned, disturbed, and concerned by recent events, such as the detention of the ASEPA manager, Captain Smart, and Oheneba Boamah, that raise the query of whether the criminal libel laws have made a return through the back door. GOGO calls on the police, prosecutors and judges to halt the particular hostile attack on the press and the right to free manifestation. People who feel defamed possess a cause of action in tort. That suffices! We have arrive too far to be taken back to the particular dark days. #SALL could be the cardinal sin of the eighth Parliament. Source: MyNewsGh. possuindo /2022Send your news tales to [email protected] and via WhatsApp upon +233 202452509