Ghanaian Officers Attack Journalists Reporting On Demolition

Abuja, Nigeria — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for Ghanaian authorities to swiftly and comprehensively conclude investigations into the July 30 attack on journalist Carlos Lorlornyo Atsu Calony and threats made against camera operator Jonas Zodzi Voergborlo.

On July 30, at least seven military officers, some of whom were wearing Ghana's National Intelligence Bureau vests, attacked Calony, a news anchor and program producer with the privately owned Joy News outlet, and Voergborlo, a camera operator with the same company, as they covered the demolition of a building in the capital, Accra, Calony told CPJ.

"Authorities in Ghana should ensure transparent investigations into the attack on journalists Carlos Lorlornyo Atsu Calony and Jonas Zodzi Voergborlo, and hold the military officers responsible to account," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Muthoki Mumo. "Despite their mandate as protectors, Ghanaian security forces are unfortunately known for abusing journalists on the job."

At least one of the officers punched Calony twice, causing the journalist to develop severe pains in his spine and intermittent blurred vision in his left eye, he told CPJ. He added that an officer threatened to similarly hit Voergborlo if he filmed the attack and that the officers smashed one of Calony's phones and the journalist's camera. Calony said his microphone and earphones were also damaged during the attack.

The officers then took Calony to the National Intelligence Bureau headquarters in Accra, where they held him for about 45 minutes, he told CPJ.

Local media rights groups, including the Media Foundation for West Africa and the Ghana Journalists Association, condemned the attack, and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama directed the state security services to investigate the incident.

CPJ's calls to Ghana's National Police spokesperson, Juliana Obeng, did not ring. CPJ called numbers on a police website after being directed there by Grace Adu-Gyamfi, the police officer in charge of the investigation, but those calls were directed to another number, which went unanswered.

In recent years, Ghana's police or military have repeatedly attacked journalists.

Read the original article on CPJ.