HRRG AND ACAT DEMAND JUSTICE FOR STUDENTS MERCILESLY FLOGGED BY TEACHERS IN ANNOR ADJAYE
In observance of this year's International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) and the Action By Christians Against Torture (ACAT) have teamed up to offer support and sympathy to all victims of various forms of torture throughout the world, particularly in Africa and Ghana.
As active human rights organisations working in Ghana and elsewhere, we continue to vehemently oppose the use of torture and other inhumane treatment of people because it violates their fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which in its Article 5 declares.
"No one should be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment," was clearly stated.
We urge the Ghanaian government and state institutions to act quickly in apprehending torturers of any citizen or residents of this country, regardless of their religion, race, ethnic group, etc., on this 35th anniversary of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to which Ghana is a signatory along with nearly all nations of the world.
The HRRG and ACAT Ghana implore the state to rebuff the temptation of sending people back to their home countries, where they are most likely to experience all forms of torture.
We are using this year's International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to think back on specific incidents in Ghana while also acting as a warning to everyone that anybody might become the next victim of horrible torture. Simply said, using torture is wrong, illegal, and must be punished in accordance with Ghanaian law.
The use of torture by government agencies like the military and police during detention for criminal prosecution should be avoided. They should also protest when the establishment uses persuasion to inflict violence and other violent acts on marginalised members of Ghanaian society, including journalists, minority groups, human rights campaigners, and political opponents.
HRRG implores the victims of torture and cruel treatment to utilise this day to find closure and keep holding out hope for justice for the violation of their rights against inhumane and degrading treatment.
The alleged canning of pupils at the Annor Adjaye Senior High School in the Jomoro area of the Western Region is one of the most notable instances of torture and physical abuse committed against Ghanaian residents.
When it was reported that 19 second-cycle students were late for the Sunday morning church service, instructors in an absurd situation used their authority and wrath to severely hurt the students, who were in their last year. There have been no specific sanctions for the participating tutors for a number of weeks.
The viral video of a young man and woman being publicly spanked in the Wa Naa's palace in Wa for allegedly uploading a sex film online is another instance of torture and degrading treatment of human beings. Law enforcement authorities have detained several of the offenders.
We demand that the GES, the Ghana Police Service, and other sanctioning institutions work to conduct thorough investigations into all matters, particularly the Annor Adjaye saga, and ensure that victims and their families receive justice in these cases of flagrant human rights abuses without further delay.
No citizen deserves to be subjected to torture or other cruel treatment. We view the use of torture to victims as a cruel and egregious act of cowardice. As we encourage Ghanaians to vehemently denounce any instances of torture and oppression and work toward making the nation safe for all people, we affirm that everyone has the right to live in dignity and make a significant contribution to society.
I'm grateful.
Signed.
Kobla Wemakor, Joseph
Director, Executive (HRRG)
Miriam Damalie Dzifa
Program Manager (ACAT Ghana)