CONFIDENTIAL
GHANA
Report by British High Commission, Accra
Right No.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Preventive detention legislation is employed in areas of national security and public order. No reliable figures are available. Detention is not used indiscrimin- ately, but safeguard provisions attached to the legislation are not always observed.
Unsanctioned police brutality is fairly common, especially against petty offenders. Formal torture is considered rare, though there have been recent allegations of mal- treatment of political detainees.
Rating suggested by Post
4
3
Slavery is not known to exist. The government is opposed to it.
O
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
All broadcasting and main papers are state-owned. All the media are very tame, but restrictions are more self- imposed by sycophantic and uninspired staff than officially enforced. Two journals have been suppressed by me ans of pressure on newsprint supplies. A few individual journalists have been subject to intimidation and imprisonment. But individual freedom of speech flourishes.
There is a strong tradition of independence in the judiciary freely professed by the legal hierarchy and government, but in practice somewhat qualified by venality, sycophancy and the use of military courts.
The well-established trade union structure includes sincere and active representatives. The TUC is however very much aware of its exposed position, and has a marked sense of accountability to the State. The right of withdrawal of labour is accepted: but indi- vidual unions are not always allowed to
exercise it.
CONFIDENTIAL
3
2
4
/(vii)
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