Arrest, incarceration of journalists democratically regressive

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has expressed worry over the spate of unprofessionalism in the Ghanaian media landscape.

It also raised concerns over recent police arrest, detention and incarceration of journalists and some activists over the alleged publication of false news.

The Foundation said while unprofessionalism in the Ghanaian media landscape was not healthy for democratic governance, arrests, detentions and incarcerations of some journalists and social activists were not the way to go.

It said when the Foundation monitored incidents of ethical violations on 10 Accra-based local language radio stations from June 2020 to May 2021, a total of 1,754 incidents of ethical violations were recorded.

The radio stations in the order of the number of violations recorded (from the highest to the lowest) are Power FM, Oman FM, Accra FM, Hot FM, Happy FM, Peace FM, Adom FM, Asempa FM, Okay FM, and Atinka FM.

The MFWA pointed out that though recommendations were made monthly for the issues to be addressed, Managers of the stations and Regulatory agencies both showed no concern.

Mr Muheeb Saeed, the Head of Freedom of Expression at MFWA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, condemned the conduct of the journalists and activists but also lamented over the involvement of the police in the issues.

He said such actions were not good for the country’s press freedom and democratic credentials.

The 2021 World Press Freedom Index ranked Ghana 30 among 180 countries.

He said: “We are disappointed that for a country that has decriminalised libel, we are increasingly seeing the involvement of the police in arresting journalists and other activists for speech offences.”

Mr Saeed said such acts by the police, “have the potential to undermine Ghana’s reputation as a democratic country, and a country that respects fundamental human rights. Outside Ghana, the kind of signal that we are sending is not encouraging.”

“If those who are affected by such publications can go to court or report to the National Media Commission (NMC) for civil settlement it would be better.”

Mr Sadibou Marong, the Director of Reporters without Borders’s (RSF) West Africa Bureau, said: “In a country where arrests of journalists had become an exception, these new cases of detention and violence are very disturbing.”

At least two media practitioners have been arrested by the police recently for alleged offences related to their work.