The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) commenting on the arrest and torture of Modern Ghana journalists says the seeming silence of President Akufo -Addo does not reflect his credentials as a human rights advocate.
According to him, Akufo Addo's silence on the issue is shocking since he is supposed to take swift actions as a human rights advocate and lawyer.
This comes at the back of the arrest and detention of two staff of online news portal Modern Ghana in Accra by a group of men introducing themselves as National Security operatives who stormed their office Thursday, June 27, 2019.
Reports indicated that the raid was carried out after a publication about the National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah and New Patriotic Party MP Afenyo-Markin.
Editor of Modern Ghana, Emmanuel Ajarfor said he was subjected to electric shock and other forms of torture by National Security operatives after his arrest.
The National Security responding to the allegations leveled against them in a statement denied torture claims by the editor.
Speaking on Starr FM, the Executive Director of the Bureau of Public Safety, Nana Yaw Akwada said President Akufo Addo, a human right advocate and lawyer is expected to act swiftly in regards to the issue. He also demanded the Chairman of the National Security to break his silence on the issue
''We are shocked by the seeming silence especially when we look at the credentials of the sitting President as a human rights lawyer and advocate. So when such things happen under his watch we are expecting that his actions to be swift on this. We are running into 72 hours plus (+) and have not heard from the Chairman of the National Security Council whose operatives have conducted themselves in this manner on a citizen of the land who is supposed to be protected by him. I think its imperative he speaks on this issue.''
He further indicated that a fair independent body must investigate the matter and bring justice on the path of the journalists, not only that but make press freedom workable in the country to enable media practitioners to go about their duties freely without any form of intimidation
Adding to that he said: ''We really don't care about our citizens elsewhere the whole country will come to a halt because you just can't on the authority of the State pick up people, literally abduct them and transport them to a secondary location. It is reprehensible by all standards. We want to hear how committed the President is in ensuring that citizens on whose mandate he is ruling are safe under his watch''.Â
Meanwhile, an editor of Peace Fm, Yaw Obeng Manu was also arrested in connection with alleged cybercrime claims made against editors of online news portal, Modern Ghana.
Reports indicated that the other worker arrested together with the editor of Modern Ghana was asked how he had access to Peace Fm emails and he said it was given to him by one Obeng Manu who worked at Peace FM and later employed him as a reporter for the Publisher Newspaper.
Mr Manu has been granted bail and is expected to report back for further interrogation into allegations of emails hacking and other cyber-related crimes.
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