Dokument #1051084
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
The government of Ghana released some
political prisoners as a gesture of national reconciliation (BBC
Summary 23 March 1992). According to an Amnesty International
Newsletter published in October 1992, about 50 detainees were
"quietly released" in April and May of the same year. This sources
further states that "at least one political detainee, Corporal
Thomas Benefo, apparently remains in detention without charge or
trial...Seven other political prisoners convicted in connection
with alleged conspiracies are still serving prison sentences." In a
letter dated 23 October 1992, a copy of which was faxed to the
DIRB, the Acting Refugee Cordinator at Amnesty International's
office in Toronto, Canada, states that
Amnesty International is aware that some political prisoners remain
in detention. Some detainees remain in incommunicado detention. As
well, Amnesty International is aware that there have been some
recent political arrests (Ibid.).
In further overtures of national
reconciliation, the Provincial National Defence Council (PNDC) also
repealed the Preventive Custody Law of 1982 (PNDC Law 4) and the
Habeas Corpus Amendment Law of 1984 (PNDC Law 91) (West
Africa 18 Oct. 1992) but replaced them with a new Public Order
Law which authorizes the detention of suspects for a period not
exceeding 14 days. West Africa notes that "the repeal of the
laws does not however mean an end to detention without trial in
Ghana" (Ibid.).
For additional information on the
above-mentioned subjects, please refer to the attached
documents.
Amnesty International. October 1992.
Amnesty International Newsletter. Vol. 22. No. 10. "Ghana:
Political Prisoner Released from Untried Detetion."
_____. Toronto. 23 October 1992. Fax
received by DIRB Ottawa.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 23
March 1992. "Ghanaian Government Grants Amnesty to Political
Prisoners."(NEXIS)
West Africa [London]. 18 October
1992. "Ghana: Detention Laws Replaced," (DIRB Indexed Media
Review [Ottawa], 26-26 Oct. 1992.
Amnesty International. October 1992.
Amnesty International Newsletter. Vol. 22. No. 10. "Ghana:
Political Prisoner Released from Untried Detetion."
_____. Toronto. 23 October 1992. Fax
received by DIRB Ottawa.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 23
March 1992. "Ghanaian Government Grants Amnesty to Political
Prisoners."(NEXIS)
West Africa [London]. 18 October
1992. "Ghana: Detention Laws Replaced," (DIRB Indexed Media
Review [Ottawa], 26-26 Oct. 1992.