A network of activist and media defence lawyers in Africa, known as the West African Network of Activist and Media Defence Lawyers (WANAMDEL), has been inaugurated.
Comprising 14 legal practitioners from 11 countries across West Africa, the group of lawyers is on standby to defend activists and journalists who may not be able to acquire the services of a legal representative.
The WANAMDEL was inaugurated by Dr. Joseph Whittal, chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 in Accra, following a forum on the law and freedom of expression in West Africa.
The members of the network, who are all lawyers, include Samson Lardy Anyenini, Martin Kpebu and Zakaria Tanko, all from Ghana; Moussa Sarr, Senegal; Thérèse Donu, Togo; Sarnyenneh M. Dickson, Liberia and Paul Kamara, Sierra Leone.
The others are Mojirayo Oluwatoyin Ogunlano, Nigeria; Salifou Béavogui, Guinea; Augusto Da Silva, Guinea-Bissau; Gloria Mabeian Ballason, Nigeria; Dogbemin Kone, Côte d’Ivoire; Houssou Brice, Bénin and Neneh M.C. Cham, The Gambia.
SWIFT
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, whose organisation championed the agenda, served notice that the response to any intimidation against journalists and activists would be swift and robust.
“Let it be clear that from today, when journalists and activists are arbitrarily abused, as has been the case all the time, the legal response shall be swift and robust.
“And let it also be known that from today, when the powerful in society seek to intimidate journalists and activists with empty legal threats, just to call people into submission as they’ve always been doing, we would collectively respond by saying, See you in court,” he said to welcome guests to the event.
RECESSION
Highlighting the decaying status of the once touted most progressive region on the African continent, Sulemana Braimah underscored that West Africa has become the epicentre of what seems to be a global democratic recession.
In recent years, West Africa has seen the return to military rule in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea-Bissau.
In his address, Mr. Braimah noted that the continent is also witnessing rising authoritarian tendencies in almost all countries in the region.
SELFLESS
Meanwhile, Sulemana Braimah remarked that the commitment and work of some lawyers in various countries in West Africa has slowed the pace of the reversal to authoritarian governance.
These lawyers, he indicated, have selflessly committed themselves to promoting and protecting human rights and defending victims of rights violations, including journalists.
“So with the presence of this network and their activities, let those who seek to exploit the inability of journalists to hire the services of lawyers for their defence to be well informed that from now on, things have changed,” he asserted.
Preparing the participants for the discussion, the chairman of the forum, Dr. Joseph Whittal, cited the coups happening to stress that democracy has shrunk within the West African context.
“Because when we are talking about military or military rule, rule of law is actually not very respected within such circumstances,” he explained.
THE FORUM
The forum titled the law and freedom of expression in West Africa was on the theme: “Countering legal obstacles to media freedom, civic expression and the fight against impunity: challenges and prospects,” deliberated on the growing challenges to the exercise of fundamental rights of freedom of expression, media freedom and other civil liberties across West Africa.
There was a panel discussion delved into the theme for the forum. A journalist with the Ghanaian Times, Raissa, shared her ordeal in 2019 on how she was assaulted by some police officers, and the matter ended at an interdiction.
To her, the outcome of the investigation should have been made public and the officers involved should have been prosecuted for justice to be served.
It was moderated by the host of Newsfile on JoyNews, Samson Larry Anyenini, with other panellists being Brice Houssou, a lawyer from Benin; Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, a lawyer from Nigeria; Neneh Cham, a lawyer from The Gambia and Salifou Beavogui, a lawyer from Guinea.
In a speech read on her behalf, by Vivian Opoku, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Diana Asonaba Dapaah expressed the commitment of his office to ensuring freedom of expression.
On behalf of the Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, Palgrave Boakye Danquah said the government was committed to freedom of expression.
ENFORCEMENT
Giving the keynote address, Femi Falana advocated for a campaign for the enforcement of freedom of education.
In his view, a lot of people cannot enjoy freedom of expression due to lack of education.
He also argued that attempts to criminalise free expression must be resisted.
He called on the media “to educate and enlighten the people of Africa” on freedom of expression.
