Ghana Must Know Forum occupies BNI on Monday

A group of people calling themselves ‘Ghana Must Know Forum’ are threatening to picket at the premises of the Bureau of National Investigation on Monday to demand the release of Fadi Samih Dabousi.

Mr. Fadi Daboussi was picked up by the Bureau of National Investigation after he touched down at the Kotoka International Airport on Friday from a trip to Lebanon.

The journalist and writer is known to be a strong critic of the Mahama government.

He was allegedly arrested because of his newly written book, "59 Years to Nowhere’’. His residence was ransacked and copies of the book were taken after his arrest. All efforts by his lawyer, Hassan Tampuli to get him released has proved futile.

The Ghanaian-Lebanese pilot is also an ardent supporter of Nana Akufo-Addo.

The group has given the BNI up to Sunday midnight to release Mr. Fadi Daboussi or else they would go ahead with their action on Monday.

NPP’s Hopeson Adorye is the convener of the group

Below is the full statement released by the group:

The general public is invited to a mass action at the headquarters of the BNI at 6am tomorrow. This is to demand the immediate release of Mr. Fadi Samih Daboussi, a Ghanaian writer and journalist from unlawful detention.

The journalist and writer was arrested by the Bureau of National Investigations at the Kotoka International Airport for what is rumoured to be a book he has published with the title '59 Years To Nowhere'.

The BNI has since denied him his freedom which is required after 48 hours of arrest and also, has since refused him access to legal counsel. We find this act a criminalization of free speech, a breach of the fundamental human right of Mr. Fadi, and as well, a slap on the face of rule of law.

We therefore give the BNI up to midnight of September 25, 2016 to release, else suffer a mass action at their working premises.

Let's defend our democracy, rise up all journalists, this is a call to protect the rights and freedoms of all writers and journalists

Signed...

Hopeson Yaovi Adorye.