A group of legal practitioners in Accra have called on the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Koku Anyidoho, to resist infringements of his right to free speech. Lawyers in Search of Democracy (LINSOD) said Mr Anyidoho has a right to express his views and that right must be respected. Their call comes after the Speaker of Parliament ordered Mr Anyidoho to appear before the Privileges Committee for describing members of the Minority as “irresponsible.” Group spokesperson, Chris Akumey, said the reaction of Parliament to the statement attributed to Mr Anyidoho was “overboard” and “uncalled-for.” “There is no need to use the… Privileges Committee to stampede or silence any Ghanaian into complete inactivity,” he said. He said suggestions that comments by Mr Anyidoho dragged the image of the House into disrepute were untenable. Mr. Akumey said Mr Anyidoho directed his comment to specific persons and not the entire institution of Parliament. The group is urging the Speaker to “take a second look” at the issue when the House resumes next year, adding that failure on the part of the House to do that would amount to “creating a laughing stock of themselves.” “It’s just like a group of people belonging to a shrine who think that they are untouchables; they can go out [and] make statements, either derogatory or contemptuous against people and people cannot respond because if they do so they would be dragged to the Privileges Committee,” he said. The lawyer said his group would advise Mr Anyidoho on other “legal options,” adding that “the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and not the standing orders of Parliament.” See the full statement below Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana