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0 NewsGhana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Prosper Kay, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/constitutional-democracy-must-protect-dissent-lawyer-juanah/Charles Owusu Juanah, a senior citizen and legal practitioner, has urged stronger protection for freedom of expression, insisting that constitutional democracy must safeguard dissent rather than punish it.
Speaking at a press conference on democratic governance and civil liberties, he said Ghana’s democratic progress could be undermined if criticism of public officials and political institutions is increasingly treated as a criminal matter.
He warned that intimidation, selective prosecutions, and politically influenced arrests risk creating fear among citizens and weakening the foundations of the Fourth Republic.
Mr Juanah noted that the repeal of the criminal libel law in 2001 was a key democratic reform intended to ensure that political expression, activism, and public commentary are not treated as criminal offences.
He maintained that under Ghana’s Constitution, individuals are free to express opinions about governance and public office holders, adding that the law already provides civil remedies for anyone who feels defamed.
Citing the Supreme Court decision in New Patriotic Party v. Inspector General of Police, he stressed that constitutional freedoms must not be eroded through administrative pressure or executive action.
He also referenced international human rights frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which uphold freedom of expression as a core democratic principle.
The legal practitioner cautioned security agencies and public officials against enforcing directives that could infringe on constitutional rights, warning that unlawful actions could have long-term legal consequences.
According to him, while governments change, constitutional violations can outlive administrations and attract future accountability.
Mr Juanah further argued that democracy is strengthened when citizens can criticise leadership without fear, adding that suppressing dissent could deepen political tension and weaken national cohesion.
He called on the Ghana Bar Association, civil society organisations, the media, and religious leaders to actively defend constitutional freedoms and resist any attempts to shrink civic space.
He concluded that offensive speech should be addressed through lawful response, public education, and legal civil action—not criminal sanctions or intimidation, stressing that democracy survives only when dissent is protected, not punished.
NewsGhana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Prosper Kay, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/constitutional-democracy-must-protect-dissent-lawyer-juanah/
