The Youth for Human Rights Africa (YoHRA) has called on the special anti-galamsey task force to work within the laws.
The call follows media reports of military brutality of some suspected illegal miners leading to burning of some galamsey equipment.
Lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu, a renowned Human Rights and Public Interest Lawyer and the president of YoHRA, made the call on the YoHRA online platform after sharing a live video in which an eyewitness narrated some brutalities suffered in the hands of military men carrying out the operation.
He asked the military to enforce the laws within the law.
“Whilst I fully support the anti-galamsey campaign, I believe the said campaign must be done in accordance with law,” Sosu stressed.
He argued that all suspects must be subjected to fair trial as prescribed by Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution. “They have right to counsel, right to be heard in a court of competent jurisdiction, right to personal dignity and above all right to life,” he advised.
Lawyer Sosu, who is currently in New York on an International Human Rights Conference, also vowed to use all available opportunities to ensure that the task force operates within acceptable limits.
He reminded the State that it has duty under the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s right to protect life and property and to guarantee the right to fair trial.
He called on the ministry of defense and all collaborative agencies to ensure that further operations of the task force will not result in loss of life and property.
