The Centre for Democratic Development has joined the many voices over the world in condemning the action taken by the Police Service over the arrest and detention of over forty citizens who had embarked on demonstrations against the impact of illegal mining in parts of Ghana.
CDD-Ghana argues that the arrest of the protesters was unlawful, adding that it is within their constitutional right to demonstrate especially on issues as relevant as the call to end illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Excerpts of the press release read, "In an official press release on Thursday, September 26, The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) strongly condemns the unlawful tactics employed by the Ghana Police in the recent arrest and detention of some 40 citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest over the weekend.""These individuals were demonstrating against critical national issues, including the rising incidence of state capture, widespread corruption, and the unchecked illegal smallscale mining (galamsey) that is devastating the country's water bodies.
Alarmingly, the police also arrested ordinary bystanders who were merely going about their daily activities."CDD explains that taken by the Police service violates the detainees' fundamental human rights thereby undermining the rule of law in Ghana's constitutional democracy."Such misconduct erodes public trust in our legal system and public institutions.