Attacking a journalist is a breach of law – IGP

Earlier this week, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) held a forum at the Ghana International Press Centre to mark this year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Alhassan, was the main speaker for the event which was chaired by Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, Chairman of the National Media Commission.

We publish below the full unedited text of the IGP’s speech which was delivered on his behalf by the Director-General of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rev. David Nenyin Ampah-Bennin:

THE PRESIDENT, GJA, MR AFFAIL MONEY

DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS

MEDIA PRACTITIONERS

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Executive of the Ghana Journalist Association for the opportunity given me to speak on the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity of Attacks against Journalists. I bring you the greetings of the Police Administration and the entire Police Service.

The role of the media in any state, be it a democratic or autocratic state is very crucial. This is because it contributes to the development, progress or otherwise of the state. No wonder the essence of the media in the state has been accorded the enviable accolade, the fourth estate of the realm. This is also underscored by Thomas Jefferson who said that ‘if I had to choose between government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter.

However, due to, sometimes individual and institutional differences and professional ramifications, there occasionally arise professional misunderstandings, sometimes leading to clashes between the media and other bodies or even individuals.

Misunderstandings and disagreements are bound to occur, since we belong to different professions, and come from different background. Disagreements may also come about as a result of lack of knowledge or understanding of one another’s work or operations. It may also be as a result of some personal image damage one may suffer when the other does his legitimate job.

For instance, there are situations where the security agencies may not want the media to cover, or delay coverage, not only due to issues bordering on national interest, but more importantly the disclosure of such pieces of stories may jeopardize investigation and subsequently affect prosecution. On the contrary, the media also consider it paramount for coverage due to its newsworthiness. This may spark misunderstanding between the said security agency and the media.

This notwithstanding there should be tolerance and a point of convergence, considering the fact that the ultimate goal of the two institutions is NATIONAL INTEREST.

I wish, at this juncture, to call on all institutions, bodies, groupings and individuals to eschew the barbarous act of attacking media personnel in the course of their duties, and even occasionally eliminating them under the cover of darkness. Indeed the independence of the media is enshrined in Article 162 of the 1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana, it is proper that provision is safeguarded and accorded without any let or hindrance.

It, therefore, goes without mentioning that any individual, body or institution which impedes media personnel from carrying out his legitimate duty is breaching the law of the land. To go to the extent of assaulting or brutalizing a journalist compounds one’s criminal liabilities, as it could bring in offences like assault, causing harm, causing damage, and even murder, where the loses his or her life.

It is about time every Tom, Dick and Harry appreciated the importance of the media, their essence in the country, and accorded them their rights. The fact that journalist wrote some unpalatable story about you or your institution does not make him or her criminal; in fact, the Criminal Libel Law does not exist in our books anymore.

If anyone feels aggrieved by any piece of journalistic work, or any attitude of any media person, let the person resort to the law to seek redress. You do not take the laws into your own hands and exact the punishment you desire. If we allowed that, we would be living in a jungle.

We in the Ghana Police Service have taken a serious stance against police brutalities of all manner of people including the media such that in our Public Confidence Reaffirmation Programme, this subject matter has been given prominence.

The expansion of Public Affairs activities in the Service to all the Regions and the subsequent construction of a separate office accommodation for the department is an attestation to the Police Administration’s appreciation of the relevance of the media in the state and its preparedness to collaborate with them.

In our operational orders, special provisions are made to ensure that personnel embarking on operations handle members of the media with utmost civility and professionalism, and where necessary special protection arrangements are made from them.

To quote from our flyers printed for personnel deployed for election duties, for instance, personnel are enjoined:

To be polite to the media

Not to intimidate the media

To assist the media get the information they need

In recognition of the role the media play in enhancing security in the country, the Police Administration went a step further to solicit the inputs of the GJA in developing our Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) document in dealing with the media.

Therefore, issues of infraction against personnel of the media are taken very seriously, investigated and defaulting officers accordingly dealt with.

On the other hand, the case must be stated, and firmly so, that some media personnel, by their action, attract these uncouth and unfortunate attacks upon themselves. They do this when they throw the time-tested ethics of the journalism profession to the dogs.

Media personnel, while enjoying their rights as provided for in Articles 162 and 163 of the 1992 constitution, must not lose sight of their responsibilities spelt out in Article 164 which state that:

“the provisions of articles 162 and 163 of this constitution are subject to laws that are reasonably required in the interest of national security, public order, public morality and for the purpose of protecting the reputations, rights and freedoms of other persons’’.

I dare guess that it is these responsibilities which have been extracted and recomposed into the code of professional standards governing the journalistic practice. Far from justifying the unfortunate behaviours of attacking media personnel, I suppose that if media practitioners or journalists adhere to the ethics of their profession, it will reduce, even if by 1%, these reprehensible attacks on them.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me say without mincing words that attacks on journalists everywhere in the world are attacks on the rights of the rights of the people, and on democracy in general. These must be avoided.

What is perhaps heartwarming about the whole situation is that, as reprehensible as the matter might be, the Ghanaian case must be much better than many parts of the world. Nonetheless, this is not the reason for us to be swollen-headed and drop our guards. We have to strive for protection, and it behoves all segments of the society-government, security agencies, the media, civil society organizations and others to join forces to stamp this ‘hideous creature’ out of Ghana.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to reiterate the significance of the media by drawing your attention once again to the statement by one-time President of United State of America quoted earlier, and also say that I share his views on that subject matter. Let us, therefore, guard jealously against this treasure, for when the last journalist is gagged, the last freedom or right is taken.

Thank you.