The CHRAJ condemns the military brutality of Ashaiman.
The Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has condemned a military exercise held last Tuesday in Taifa, a suburb of Ashaiman in Ghana's Greater Accra region.
A contingent of Ghana's Armed Forces stormed the community and allegedly brutalized any residents they could find.
The military has also identified over a hundred people as suspects in the murder of 22-year-old serviceman Sherrif Imoro, according to the Ghana Armed Forces.
Although the military action was widely perceived as a move to avenge the slain soldier, the Ghana Armed Forces explained in a press release that the exercise was a "intelligence-led operation."
Speaking on Joy FM, Joseph Whittal, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, stated that the exercise fails the intelligence-led operation test, and that the military acted incorrectly.
"Because of their personal interests, they come (to Ashaiman), take over the law, and do whatever they want. It is completely unacceptable to me. It is a degrading and dehumanizing treatment to arrest such people on their way to work, make them do press ups in mud, sit down with all their clothing removed except for some briefs, and that this is exacted by the Ghanaian army? It's totally unacceptable" On the sidelines of the Ghana-EU dialogue held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in Accra on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, the Commissioner exclaimed.
"Any defense of it by any military leadership is misplaced support," he added. What is wrong must be called wrong, and this is completely incorrect."
When asked about residents' fears of retaliation, Mr. Whittal stated that the military still has weapons that they can use at any time.
"The Ashaiman community should maintain their composure and allow lawful bodies such as the Ghana police to investigate and take appropriate action," he said.
He also stated that "when called upon, we'll take the right steps because the ombudsman has constitutional powers to investigate military issues in the event that the military goes beyond their normal duty and it affects people's rights."
However, in order for a CHRAJ investigation to take place, Joseph Whittal stated that an official complaint must be filed on the matter.
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