Fundamental human rights must be respected during arrest

Nyankpala (N/R), Feb. 13,GNA - The Ghana Police Service had been urged to ensure that laws governing arrest and detention of persons must always work in tandem with right to liberty and dignity to protect the fundamental rights of persons as enshrined in the constitution.

One key gap in ensuring accountability of the Ghana Police Service was lack of knowledge on basic human rights amongst many Ghanaians making them to regard violations of their rights to be a norm.

Madam Mina Mensah, Project Officer for Police Accountability at Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) was addressing students of the University for Development Studies (UDS) at Nyankpala on Friday. The programme which was organized by CHRI in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service was funded by the Australian Government and was aimed at educating students and the general public on their rights during arrest, detention, interrogation, bail and legal aid where experts spoke on the various issues.

She said an informed and educated public was well equipped to demand respect, protection, promotion and fulfilment of their rights from the state and its agents and hold leaders accountable for violation of their rights. Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, the Northern Regional Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police Service, advised individuals and the public to always comply with the police's instructions during arrest to avoid harassment which could lead to the violations of their rights. He said persons who however feel their rights had been violated by the police during arrest may sue the offending officer to serve as a deterrent to others.

Chief Inspector Tetteh reminded the students that Police bail is free of charge and urged persons to desist from paying money to the Police for bail adding, certain serious offences may require a surety for a bail and that could only be granted by a court.

Some of the students expressed disappointment at the Police about their constant abuse of people's rights saying: "The law was unfair to the less privileged persons in society".

A survey conducted by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in 2005 revealed that several police arrests had resulted in the violations of the fundamental liberties of suspects.