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Media General, the parent company of Onua FM and Onua TV, has questioned the basis for the arrest of its morning show host Captain Smart on Thursday, December 2, 2021.
Smart was arrested due to some unsavoury pronouncements he made on the peace and security of the country in a broadcast but Media General in a statement said his comments should not have been interpreted in that manner by the Police.
Smart’s employers also added that they were increasingly concerned about “the new trend of arrest of journalists and media practitioners”.
According to them, it was “one more egregious example of the intolerance increasingly creeping into the Ghanaian society”.
“This recent trend of picking journalists has affected journalists who work with Media General who are simply doing their work and, like every Ghanaian, should be protected by the Constitution,” the statement said.
“Today’s arrest and detention of Captain Smart is by no means an isolated incident, but just one more egregious example of the intolerance increasingly creeping into the Ghanaian society. We are convinced that a careful review of the entire statement made by Captain Smart would reveal that it did not amount to threats to the peace and or stability of the country as claimed by the Ghana Police”.
The statement further urged the Ghana Police Service and the Inspector General of Police to exercise restraint in their dealings with journalists legitimately doing their work.
“The Media General Group would like to urge the Ghana Police Service and the IGP to exercise restraint in their dealings with journalists legitimately doing their work and dismiss these broad charges so that press freedom would be protected,” the statement said.
“We at Media General shall continue to preach and exercise responsible journalism. However, we would continue to empower our journalists and broadcasters to be fearless, honest and forthright in their professional outlook always”.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
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