The petition which was over 600 separate instances of abuse and harassment online were collected and analysed by iWatch's digital rights desk within the first quarter presented to the Director-General of the Police CID, COP Isaac Ken Yeboah, on Friday, May 22, 2020, is part of its broader effort to counter online abuse of journalists and rights activists in Ghana of this year.
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iWatch Africa petitions CID over individuals who threatened journalists online
A non-governmental media and policy organisation, iWatch Africa, has officially submitted a complaint against three individuals who threatened journalists; Manasseh Azure Awuni and Afia Pokua online to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police in Accra for further investigation.
Journalists
Abuse of journalists and rights activists within the digital space in Ghana is increasing, a phenomenon, experts said could have a profound "chilling effect" on journalism and can ultimately negatively impact one of the tenets of a democratic society, press freedom.
Manasseh Azure Awuni
Pulse Ghana
iWatch is of the view that the individuals captured in the petition to the Police CID violated the Criminal Code, 1960 (ACT 29) Section 17— regarding provisions relating to the use of threats in Ghana.
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The names of the individuals [currently withheld] are due to the ongoing nature of the case.
iWatch stated that it is is ready and prepared to assist the police in all their investigations.
It said it remains committed to developing protocols for reporting online abuse of journalists and rights activists; as well as community management and content forum moderation.
Journalists continue to play a crucial role in deepening Ghana’s democracy adding that "we all have a responsibility to protect them."
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