The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has urged the government to intervene and overturn a recent court ruling it says threatens press freedom and investigative journalism in the country.
Speaking at the 3rd GJA Dinner Night, President Albert Kwabena Dwomfour expressed concern that the ruling effectively restricts the media by requiring investigative works to be subjected to scrutiny before publication.
According to him, the decision undermines the constitutional role of the media as a watchdog and could have a chilling effect on investigative reporting.
The event was attended by key state officials, including Deputy Attorney General Srem Sai and Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno.
The concerns follow a decision by the Human Rights Division of the High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Nana Brew, which placed a perpetual injunction on freelance investigative journalist Innocent Samuel Appiah.
The injunction restrains him from publishing or disseminating allegations against a private individual, Cynthia Adjei, after the court upheld a privacy breach suit against him. The court also awarded GH¢10,000 in costs against the journalist.
The ruling bars Mr Appiah from engaging in any investigative publication or commentary directly or indirectly related to the subject matter of the case across both traditional and digital media platforms.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Brew acknowledged that press freedom is guaranteed under the Constitution but emphasized that it is not absolute.
He stated that media freedom must be exercised within the limits of the law, particularly where the rights to privacy and reputation of individuals are concerned.
The judge further advised that allegations of criminal conduct uncovered through investigative work should be submitted to appropriate state institutions, such as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Ghana Police Service, rather than being published without prior determination by authorities.
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