Thursday, 28 March

Media blackout on Ken Agyapong contempt case ‘worrying’ – TPF

General News
Member of Parliament for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong

The Press Foundation (TPF) has said denying journalists access to the Accra High Court to cover the contempt case involving the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, is an “unfortunate attempt geared at preventing the media from their professional responsibility to the nation.”

This comes on the heels of reports that the judicial press corps who were present at the land division of the High Court in Accra on Friday, 25 September 2020 to cover the hearing, were not allowed entry into the courtroom.

TPF, in a statement signed by its Executive Director Listowell Yesu Bukarson, on Friday, 25 September 2020, noted: “It is more so very worrying since the reason for denial is said to be instructions from above”.

TPF, therefore, called “the attention of the authorities concerned to the decision”, which it described as being “akin to gagging the media”, it noted, “ultimately is a further stab in the backs of freedom of the media.”

According to police personnel present at the High Court, they were only acting based on “instructions from above.”

Following an exchange with the police, the judicial press corps were asked to send a representative inside to cover proceedings on behalf of all the media houses that were present.

 

Source: classfmonline.com