Brutality against journalists is a No-No: Ghana must protect the fourth estate
Journalism is not a crime, and no journalist should have to endure physical assault simply for performing their professional duties. The recently reported beating of Philip Abutiate of Bullet TV while filming a demolition exercise at Kpeshie on Tuesday, September 15, is a disturbing reminder of the growing concerns surrounding the safety of journalists in Ghana. A journalist holding a camera is not an enemy of the state, nor is the act of documenting public events an offence that warrants violence. Journalists have a responsibility to inform the public, hold power to account, and bring issues of public interest to the attention of society. Any attempt to silence them through intimidation, assault or threats is an attack on the very foundation of democratic accountability. The reported incident involving Abutiate must therefore not be treated as an isolated matter. It raises serious questions about the safety of journalists covering sensitive public exercises, particularly demolitions, evictions and other operations involving state authorities or powerful interests.