#ReleaseThe21Now: Fmr Amnesty Ghana boss pushes for Akufo-Addo to release suspected LGBTQI+ members

• The police arrested some 21 people in Ho on Friday, giving reasons that they were members of the LGBTQI+ society

• They were remanded by a Circuit Court

• Former Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana says the group was meeting on how they can protect vulnerable groups

A former Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana, Robert Akoto Amoafo, has said that he has had sleepless nights since some 21 persons suspected to be members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex (LGBTQI+) were arrested.

In a statement dated May 21, 2021, the Ghana Police Service stated that it had arrested the suspects in Ho, adding that it “had information that some persons were engaged in a meeting aimed at championing LGBTQI activities and so, we proceeded to the scene to arrest them.”

A Ho Circuit Court then remanded twenty-one persons believed to be activists and members of the LGBTQI+ society.

But, in a tweet, the former head of the human rights organization stated that the individuals were there to plan towards doing a part of the responsibilities of the police that it has neglected, or has failed to fully live up to.

"As a human rights advocate it’s has been sleepless nights since my colleagues were arrested for holding a training to protect the human rights of vulnerable people in Ghana," he wrote.

He continued that, "@GhPoliceService thinks havin a trainin on protecting the people they fail to protect is unlawful assembly."

Pushing a hashtag #ReleaseThe21Now, he called on the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to intervene and get his people out.

As a human rights advocate it’s has been sleepless nights since my colleagues were arrested for holding a training to protect the human rights of vulnerable people in Ghana. @GhPoliceService thinks havin a trainin on protecting the people they fail to protect is unlawful assembly pic.twitter.com/VIZeDhHXIC

— Robert Akoto Amoafo (@ramoafo) May 23, 2021

which is so wrong. @NAkufoAddo must protect and #releasethe21 now! @amnestyghana @AmnestyWARO @AfedGhana @LGBTRightsGhana @CHR_HumanRights @amnesty @CHRAJGHANA @CIVICUSalliance @tv3_ghana @Citi973

— Robert Akoto Amoafo (@ramoafo) May 23, 2021