The Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem-Sai, has defended the government’s human rights record, insisting that democratic freedoms and protections within the criminal justice system have improved significantly under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.
In a Facebook post on Monday, May 11, Dr Srem-Sai argued that the government, within its first 16 months in office, had expanded civil liberties, improved access to justice, and strengthened constitutional protections for suspects and accused persons.
According to him, one of the clearest signs of this progress is the growing ability of citizens to organise protests freely, including demonstrations near the seat of government without intimidation or violent suppression.
“Today, citizens habitually exercise their right to demonstrate and hold protests freely, even right in front of the seat of the President, the Flagstaff House,” he wrote.
He contrasted the current atmosphere with what he described as years of restrictions around the presidency, where demonstrations near the area often triggered heavy-handed security responses.
“That place was, for years before the return of President John Mahama, treated as a no-go zone for public protest — often resulting in extreme armed brutality to protesters,” he stated.
Dr Srem-Sai also pointed to reforms within the criminal justice process, saying suspects are increasingly being arraigned before courts within the constitutionally mandated 48-hour period.
“Today, accused persons are habitually presented before the court ahead of the constitutional deadline of 48 hours,” he noted.
He further claimed that prosecutors are now less inclined to oppose bail applications automatically, focusing instead on bail conditions that ensure accused persons return for trial.
“State prosecutors habitually refrain from opposing bail applications in courts, and are increasingly focused more on the conditions of bail which will secure the presence of accused persons at trial,” he said.
The Deputy Attorney General also highlighted what he described as improvements in suspects’ access to legal representation while in police custody.
“Suspects’ access to legal counsel has also seen a major improvement,” he stated.
According to him, police and investigative bodies are increasingly arranging interrogations ahead of time to make it easier for lawyers to meet their clients without prolonged waits at detention centres.
“Our police, law enforcement, and investigative agencies now, in appropriate cases, habitually schedule interrogations ahead of time. That way, lawyers do not have to spend long hours at detention centres to have access to suspects,” he added.
Dr Srem-Sai’s comments come amid ongoing public debate over governance, civil liberties and the functioning of Ghana’s justice system under the current administration.
