THE African Editors Forum (TAEF) is demanding immediate action from Ghanaian authorities following a disturbing pattern of violent attacks on journalists by the country’s security forces, with two separate incidents in July highlighting what the organisation calls a culture of impunity among uniformed officers.
The latest incidents have prompted strong condemnation from President John Dramani Mahama, but media advocates say words alone are insufficient to address the escalating threats to press freedom in the West African democracy.
On July 11, 2025, a police officer physically assaulted GHOne TV reporter Kwabena Agyekum Banahene during parliamentary by-elections in Ablekuma North, an attack that was captured on camera. Less than three weeks later, on July 30, JoyNews reporter Carlos Carlony, his cameraman, and an eyewitness were allegedly beaten and detained by armed military personnel while covering a building demolition in Spintex, Accra.
TAEF said the incidents represent a broader pattern of abuse that has persisted for years without meaningful consequences for perpetrators.
“Over the years, the military and the police have been on record for having assaulted journalists in public while they do their work,” the organisation stated in a release from its Nairobi headquarters. “The fact that the unacceptable conduct has continued proves that these officers act with impunity because there are no repercussions for such dastardly acts.”
While the Ghana Police Service has launched an investigation into the July 11 assault, TAEF argues that such incidents “significantly tarnish Ghana’s democratic reputation and its commitment to press freedom.”
The organisation welcomed President Mahama’s public condemnation of the attacks but called for concrete action beyond verbal denunciation.
“TAEF commends the President for his public condemnation of the physical attacks on the journalists,” the forum stated. “We ask that President Mahama further substantively reinforce his words by directing security agencies to stringently bring to justice those who have abused their powers by threatening and assaulting journalists.”
The incidents have drawn international attention to Ghana’s press freedom record, with media advocates warning that attacks on journalists undermine the country’s democratic institutions. Ghana has traditionally been viewed as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies, making the recent surge in journalist harassment particularly concerning for regional observers.
TAEF, which advocates for press freedom across the African continent, emphasised that security personnel should protect rather than target media workers.
“TAEF has consistently called upon security services personnel across Africa to protect journalists and ensure that they have safe spaces to do their work,” the organisation said.
The forum is demanding “thorough and transparent investigations” into both incidents and insisting that any resulting disciplinary actions be made public to send a clear message to security forces.
“We call on President Mahama to demand thorough and transparent investigations into the incidents and ensure that the decisions arrived at after the investigations are actionable, sending a strong signal to members of the security services that attacks on journalists simply doing their work will not be tolerated,” TAEF stated.
The assaults come at a time when press freedom advocates across Africa are documenting increased hostility toward journalists, particularly those covering sensitive political or social issues. The incidents in Ghana underscore broader regional concerns about the safety of media workers in the continent’s democratic societies.
