From: Stephen A.Quaye.
Dear Brother in the inky fraternity,
May I take the opportunity of the sentencing of my dear brother Mr. Ken Kuranchie of the Daily Searchlight Newspaper and a member of the Ghana Journalist Association, [GJA] by the Supreme Court sitting on the election petition to ten days imprisonment for contempt, to send you a message of solidarity.
Let me state here the apostolic greeting “Grace and peace be with you”[1Thess. 1:1] with which I begin my message of solidarity to Mr. Ken Kuranchie in Ghana at a time when the country is going through a deep political, ethical and spiritual crisis.
Much has changed in Ghana in the last couple of months. The courageous of the media, together with the determination of able journalists in civil society has led to the emergence of a new mindset which are making more inform choices.
Through the inky fraternity, it has been made clear that, “It will be necessary to appeal to the sense of responsibility of political community in order to overcome corruption, impunity and the abuse of power and take immediate steps towards real national reconciliation.
“In the present situation in Ghana this can only be done by strengthening freedom of speech and not muzzling the press and the respect and defense of human rights, which are the expression of care for life which the creator God has placed in our hands”.
This is clear in particular with regard to changes in the legislation related to violations of human rights committed during the rule of the military junta from 1979 to 1981 and all the way to 1992.
The laws on “full stop” and “due obedience” which included arrests and false detention of journalists and ordinary people should be looked at again since it serves as a platform for violent persons to gather and cause trouble in a peaceful country.
Although sentenced to ten days imprisonment for contempt of court, it reaffirms your commitment and that of the entire inky fraternity’s commitment to human rights which, today more than ever, requires the support of the international community.
Therefore let me take this opportunity to sympathize with the GJA, PRINPAG and Ken Kuranchie himself for standing firm in performing your duties as the voice for the people which have restored the dignity of true peace loving Ghanaians as a nation.
Once again expressing my solidarity with the editor of daily search light news paper and all those human right journalists who have fought for the recognition and defense of human rights, I am delighted to know that freedom of speech has been restored and that the true people of Ghana can now engage in a process of speaking their mind without being scared of the law of “full stop” or “due obedience”.
May God continue to be your protector as his grace and peace be with you whiles serving your prison sentence.
With solidarity message,
Stephen A. Quaye.
