Former President, John Dramani Mahama has criticized the two-week remand of Democracy Hub demonstrators, calling it an abuse of their rights.
In a post shared on X, Mahama described the decision as “high-handed”.
He emphasized the need to balance maintaining law and order with protecting citizens’ freedoms.
“The youth of Ghana have a right to engage in manifestations to protect their future, especially on critical issues like environmental destruction caused by illegal mining. draconian judicial decisions such as this won’t stop them from speaking out,” Mahama stated.
He urged authorities to review the decision and grant bail to the protesters, noting that harsh judicial rulings would not silence them.
“The authorities must request the judge to review the remand decision and grant them bail immediately,” Mahama shared.
This comes after the arrest of 28 demonstrators, including bystanders, during a protest organized by Democracy Hub against illegal mining and state capture.
The demonstrators were charged with unlawful assembly and remanded into custody for two weeks, sparking widespread public outcry.
Several organizations have also criticized the police and judiciary’s handling of the situation, calling the arrests and remands an abuse of power.
See the post below:
High-handedness!
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…
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) September 26, 2024