Information specifically relating to penalties for writing letters of opposition to the Ghanaian government is presently not available to IRBDC.

On the 27th of March 1989, the government of Ghana announced the revocation of current registration of all newspapers and magazines published in the country. [Foreign Broadcast Information Service. Daily Report. Sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana. Monday, 13 March 1989. p.20.] Following the revocation of current registration, publishers in Ghana were to submit new applications to the Ministry of Information, for examination by a committee at the Ministry. [ibid.]

The U.S. Department of State reports that Ghanaian Security forces occasionally take people into custody, with or without a warrant, and hold them incommunicado for extended periods of time. This serves as " a deterrent to activities deemed unacceptable to the State". [ U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1988, (Washington: U.S. Department of State, 1989), p. 135.]There continue to be significant human rights problems in Ghana, with restrictions on basic rights such as freedom of speech, press and assembly, and legal due process. Arbitrary arrests and detentions are ongoing. [ibid. p. 134.]

The U.S. Department of State also reports that public tribunal judges have little or no legal experience and tend to shortcut legal safeguards and due process to provide "rough and ready" justice. [U.S. Department of State. p. 136.] Forced entry into homes has been reported in connection with security investigations. Ghana has no constitution and there are no guarantees of the freedom of speech and the press. The PNDC Chairman encourages people to speak out on local community concerns, but not on government policy. Media criticism of the government and government policies is not tolerated. [ibid.
p. 137.] Several newspapers have been closed down in recent years. [ibid. p.139.] The PNDC Chairman himself has publicly admitted, that fear of government reaction has led to the creation of a "culture of silence" in Ghana. [ibid. p.138.]

Journalists are subject to broad censorship by the Secretariat for Information. This government body banned the Standard, a Catholic weekly, in November 1985, for editorials it claimed were unpatriotic. The Free Press was forced to close down in April 1986, following the detention of three of its journalists for over a year and the subsequent five-month detention of its managing editor, John Kuglenu. One of its journalists, Kweku Baako, was arrested in April 1986 and detained for four months. [Information , Freedom and Censorship, p. 28.] The following is a list of journalists against whom action has been taken and in prison: Kwesi Pratt, detained since May 17 1987, Kwame Korikami, detained since July 15 1987, and Ben Ephson, detained since September 1987. [ibid. p. 30.] Amnesty International reports that Kwami Karikari and Kwesi Pratt were released in December 1988 and December 1987 respectively. [Amnesty International Report on Ghana, London, June 14 1989.] Ben Ephson was released on the 13th of February 1988. [ibid. April 1988.]

Attached please find the following documents:
.1. "District Assembly Voting Results", African Research Bulletin, Political Series, vol. 26(3), April 15 1989, p. 9212.
2. "Paper Comments on District Assembly Elections", in People's Daily Graphic, Accra, January 17, 1989., p.2.
3. "District Assembly Concept "Misunderstood" in People's Daily Graphic, Accra, December 12, 1988., p. 2.
4.Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Daily Report, Sub-Saharan Africa, March 13, 1989.
5. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1988, (Washington: U.S. Department of State, 1989), pp. 134-139.
6. C. Legum, ed. Africa Contemporary Record, Annual Survey and Documents 1986-1987., vol. XIX, (New York: Africana Publishing Company., 1987), pp. B32-B33.
7. Information, Freedom and Censorship, The Article 19 World Report 1988, (London: Longman Group UK Ltd., 1988), pp. 28-31.
8. Amnesty International Report 1988, Ghana, (London: Amnesty International, 1988), pp. 42-43.