Ghana: Investigate killing of journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale

Ahmed Hussein-Suale, member of the investigative journalists group Tiger Eye Pi team, was killed on 16 January 2019 in the street on his way home in Accra. Hussein-Suale and renowned for his investigations of corruption in African football.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the killing of Ahmed Hussein-Suale and we extend our sincere condolences to Tiger Eye Pi and the entire media corporation of Ghana. Despite the recurring threats he faced, he continued his investigative work in order to keep the public informed. This murder is a heinous crime that we strongly condemn and must not go unpunished’, said Fatou Jagne Senghore, Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 Senegal/West Africa.

ARTICLE 19 reiterates that the killing of journalists reinforces the climate of fear, hostility and insecurity to which journalists are exposed and contributes to the depreciation of the profession. The government of Ghana must fulfill itsobligation to prevent, protect and prosecute attacks on journalists.

The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo in a tweet condemned the act and promised to shed light on this killing.

We urge the Ghanaian authorities to:

• Conduct an independent and transparent investigation to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice;
• Adopt necessary measures to put an end to intimidating practices against journalists and especially investigative journalists;
• Ensure the safety and protection of journalists in accordance with international conventions, particularly to respect Resolution 68/163 of 2013 by United Nations and Resolution 185 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) on the safety of journalists whichurge States to prevent violence against journalists and to fight against the impunity of their authors.