CDD-Ghana condemns arrest and remand of protesters, calls it 'abuse of power'

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has sharply criticised the remand of 28 protesters and the imprisonment of 11 others, all of whom participated in demonstrations led by the Democracy Hub.

The arrests occurred following a ruling by the Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday, 24th September, where the demonstrators were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime—specifically, unlawful assembly.

In a statement released on Thursday, 26th September, CDD-Ghana called the decision an abuse of power, expressing concern over the manner in which the Ghana Police Service handled the situation. The organisation highlighted that the protesters were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and criticised the police for using excessive force during the arrests.

“CDD-Ghana is particularly concerned about the Ghana Police Service’s repeated use of excessive and illegal control tactics, especially when dealing with young protesters. These actions undermine both the letter and the spirit of Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana,” the statement noted.

The protest was organised to highlight urgent national concerns, including state capture, rising corruption, and the destruction of the country’s water bodies due to illegal small-scale mining (galamsey). The CDD-Ghana statement further condemned the arrest of bystanders who were not part of the protest but were caught up in the police's crackdown.

Adding to their concerns, the organisation also criticised the public release of the names of those arrested, suggesting that it could expose individuals to undue harm and further undermine the legitimacy of the demonstration. CDD-Ghana urged the police to respect democratic principles and uphold citizens' rights to peaceful protest.

The police's actions, including the detention of protesters and ordinary citizens alike, have drawn widespread criticism, with CDD-Ghana calling for a more restrained and respectful approach to managing public demonstrations in the future.

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