CHRAJ condemns gov’t silence on alleged #OccupyJubileeHouse brutalities

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has taken on the Interior and National Security ministries for their silence on the alleged brutality against protestors during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest.

The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, who spoke exclusively to TV3, says this lack of correspondence does not engender public trust and consensus.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Accra for a 3-day anti-government protest over the current economic hardship.

The protesters accused the police of abuse, harassment and suppression after 49 suspects were arrested for unlawful assembly and violating the Public Order Act.

But the police said the arrest was after the protestors defied a court order prohibiting them from protesting in the vicinity of the Jubilee House.

However, Joseph Whittal says the police misconducted itself.

“It is the right of the citizens to demonstrate, and the police should not use injunctions to stop that.

“So, if they are on the street, don’t approach them with the colonial mentality of ‘if you don’t do what we want, we will beat you’. No, this is completely out of the way, just as what happened.

“The police must not always seek for consensus with the public, but rather prepare for these actions,” he added.

He condemned the Interior and National Security ministries for their silence on the matter.

“The power to rule has been given. We have not heard from the Minister of Interior, from the Minister of Defence, and the Minister of National Security, and that is unfortunate. Sometimes when the matter is of national interest, it will be good for the leaders to explain or even apologize if the behaviour of their agencies goes too far,” he opined.

The only response from the quarters of government, has been a release from the NPP Youth Wing, dismissing the three-day protest organized by pressure group Democracy Hub.