GBA demands reasonable bail conditions, protection for arrested social media commentators

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has expressed concerns over the arrest of social media commentators, advocating for the protection of suspects' constitutional rights and the maintenance of reasonable bail conditions. GBA President, Mrs Efua Ghartey, made these remarks during the opening of the Association's 2026/2027 Annual Conference held in Ada.

At the Association's inaugural virtual Mid-year Conference in June 2026, it adopted a resolution addressing what the GBA considered excessive bail conditions imposed by investigative and prosecutorial authorities. These conditions, according to Mrs Ghartey, must adhere to Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution and be "reasonable, proportionate, and consistent with the presumption of innocence."

Mrs Ghartey also revealed that the GBA is contemplating the establishment of a Human Rights Watch Committee to monitor the protection of constitutional and human rights. The proposed committee would specifically focus on cases involving social commentators, including recent arrests of TikTokers. This committee would provide legal aid to suspects and serve as a mechanism to ensure compliance with Article 14 and other constitutional protections, particularly in situations where the fundamental rights of suspects might be compromised.

The GBA President emphasized the importance of respecting constitutional safeguards, including the right to personal liberty and the presumption of innocence, in the administration of justice. She stressed that the Association's stance on bail aims to ensure that conditions imposed on suspects by investigative and prosecutorial authorities align with the constitutional requirement of reasonableness and proportionality.

Mrs Ghartey highlighted that the proposed committee is part of the Association's broader commitment to maintaining that statutory and governmental institutions operate within the constitutional framework, stating, "We shall not relent on our efforts to hold statutory and governmental bodies to the constitutional standards of our country for our common good."