President John Dramani Mahama was asked by the Committee to safeguard Journalists (CPJ) to take decisive action to safeguard journalists, abolish impunity for attacks on the press, and amend laws that criminalize journalism on April 17, 2025, his 100th day in office.
CPJ called on the President to spearhead efforts to bring about justice for the 2019 murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale Divela and to address what the organization called a “broader pattern of impunity” that has allowed dozens of journalists to be abused over the years with no repercussions. The letter was sent on April 17, 2025.
“We urge your government to conduct swift and conclusive investigations into cases of attacks against the press, to reform laws that criminalise journalism, and to ensure journalists’ devices are not seized or searched in connection with their work,” the letter stated.
According to the international press freedom monitor, “no one has been held accountable in his case” since Hussein-Suale’s murder. In addition, CPJ noted that “such attacks have continued, including during this first period of your tenure” and that it had discovered “a broad pattern of impunity in the cases of at least 30 Ghanaian journalists and media workers who faced abuses in connection with their work” over the four years after his passing.
CPJ also emphasized its long-standing concerns with Ghanaian legislation that impede journalistic activity, namely Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act and Section 208 of the Criminal Offenses Act. These regulations, which have maximum sentences of three and five years in jail, respectively, make it illegal to publish incorrect information.
The letter urged President Mahama to pay attention to “local press freedom advocates” who have repeatedly called for legal change, claiming that Ghana’s laws have been exploited to criminalize the press.
CPJ expressed concern about the threat presented by digital infiltration and monitoring in addition to legislative limits. The procurement of “digital investigations tools designed to access and extract information from phones and computers” by Ghanaian security forces and the “repeated seizure of journalists’ devices by authorities” were mentioned. Such actions “present privacy concerns for journalists themselves, as well as the risk of revealing and endangering journalists’ sources,” the organization cautioned.
Angela Quintal, the Africa Regional Director of the CPJ, who signed the letter, asked President Mahama to give rapid reforms first priority. “We urge your government to take immediate action to strengthen Ghana’s press freedom environment by holding those responsible for attacks on the press accountable, changing laws that criminalize reporting, and safeguarding journalists’ privacy,” she said.
Additionally, the CPJ stated that it “stands prepared to provide assistance or further information that can advance the rights of journalists to work freely and safely,” indicating its desire to support the Mahama administration in promoting journalists’ rights.
visit Itrotronews everyday for updates