GJA to Army Chief: Punish Soldiers Who Assaulted JoyNews Journalist or Face Consequences
Accra, Ghana – 31 July, 2025 – The Ghana Journalists Association has issued a stern warning to the Chief of Army Staff, urging swift action against military personnel implicated in the assault of JoyNews journalist Carlos Calony during a demolition exercise in Accra. The incident occurred on July 30, while Calony was covering the operation, and he was allegedly attacked and detained by National Security operatives despite identifying himself as a journalist.
GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour emphasized that the military's credibility is at stake and threatened to publicly expose the individuals involved if immediate action is not taken to identify and sanction them. "The military should understand that failure to expose and sanction perpetrators will have severe consequences, and we will take action to embarrass them," Dwumfour stated at a press briefing on July 31.
The Ghana Armed Forces has confirmed the commencement of an internal investigation into the incident, describing the conduct of its personnel as "inappropriate". The GJA's warning comes amid growing concerns about the safety of journalists in Ghana and the need for accountability.
The GJA has outlined potential measures to ensure justice is served, including filing civil suits against officers involved in the assault ,working with local and international human rights organizations to document assaults on journalists ,petitioning key embassies to revoke or deny visas to security officers who have assaulted journalists ,requesting sanctions against violators of press freedom at international organizations and petitioning the Ghana Armed Forces and Police Council to disqualify officers found guilty of attacking journalists from promotion and impose disciplinary actions.
The GJA's strong stance underscores the importance of protecting journalists' rights and promoting a safe working environment for the media.
Source: Lead News Online
