Former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has described the decision to remand demonstrators from the Democracy Hub protest for two weeks as an abuse of their rights.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on September 26, 2024, Mahama criticized the authorities for what he called a “high-handed” judicial decision, stressing that it undermines the democratic rights of citizens to protest.
“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. The youth of Ghana have a right to engage in manifestations to protect their future, especially in respect of key issues like the destruction of the environment through illegal mining,” Mahama stated.
He further called for the immediate review of the remand order, urging the authorities to act swiftly. “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,” Mahama added.
The Democracy Hub protest, aimed at calling for an end to illegal mining activities (galamsey), concluded over the weekend. On Wednesday, eleven demonstrators appeared before the Accra Circuit Court, where they were remanded into police custody. They are expected to return for a hearing on Thursday, September 26, 2024. Each of the eleven pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit a crime.
This development brings the total number of demonstrators currently remanded by the court to 50.
According to reports, the Lead Convenor of Democracy Hub, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, and fellow protestor Funny Otoo were absent from the court proceedings due to illness and were said to be receiving medical attention.
The remanded individuals face charges similar to those of the 39 protestors detained earlier, including unlawful assembly, conspiracy to commit a crime, causing unlawful damage, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace, and assault on a public officer.
The legal proceedings are being spearheaded by the Office of the Attorney-General. Thirty of the demonstrators are expected to reappear in court on October 8, 2024, while the remaining nine will be arraigned on October 11, 2024. The police have indicated that more suspects are expected to face legal action in connection with the protest.
What the law says about bail and remand
