The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has called on security officials enforcing the president’s lockdown directive to respect the rights and dignity of the citizenry while doing so.
This follows media reports of alleged abuse of power by soldiers and police personnel enforcing the imposition of restriction order by Nana Akufo-Addo.
In a statement Thursday, CHRAJ said it will “be remiss of our duty if we fail to call on the government and all who have the duty to enforce the lockdown to do so in a manner that would protect the dignity of members of the public, including those found to have breached the Executive Order.”
“It is the considered view of the Commission that the exercise of the powers conferred on the COVID -19 STF should be consistent with both Ghana’s Constitution as well as International and Regional Human Rights law and normative frameworks as articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Luanda Guidelines and the Robben Island Guidelines (hereinafter referred to as ‘International Human Rights Instruments’),” CHRAJ wrote.
They, however, called on all citizens in the areas affected by the lockdown to abide by the directives of the president ‘in order not to occasion any misunderstanding with the lawfully constituted Covid-19 task force as it carries out its legal duties.