CDD condemns attack on gay suspect at UG

The Center for Democratic Development- Ghana (CDD-Ghana) together with Coalition of Human Rights has condemned the recent incident involving the beating, abuse, and violations of the rights of an individual at the University of Ghana for allegedly being gay.

The institution is also demanding that the authorities of the university initiate an immediate investigation into the barbaric incident and bring the perpetrators to book while providing medical and psychological support to the affected individual.

In a press statement written and signed by the Big 18 and the Human Rights Coalition also condemns the filming of this barbaric action and the circulation of videos across social media.

“All individuals, including the victim involved in the incident, are presumed to be students at the university”, the statement noted.

The statement further stated that the recent attack against an individual on the allegation of being a member of the LGBTQ+
community goes against the University of Ghana’s handbooks which contain inclusive and progressive standards and guidelines aimed to protect students and everyone from any and all forms of discrimination.

Therefore, the Center demands that the university authorities take immediate action to bring to book the perpetrators who physically abused, stripped naked, and paraded this individual around the campus
while violating his right to dignity as not just a student but as a human being.

It said, the incident, while violating the fundamental human rights of the student under Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, also directly violates the university’s Non-Academic Offences under Section C (v.), which explicitly states: Without prejudice to the application of the national laws by the University, no junior member of the University shall engage in a course of vexatious conduct that is directed at one or more specific individuals, and that is based on the race, ancestry, place of birth, origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, creed, age, marital status, family status of the individual or those individuals that are known to be unwelcomed: and that exceeds the bounds of freedom of expression or academic freedom as those are understood in University policies and accepted practices, including but not restricted to those explicitly adopted.

“Ghana is a state governed by laws that protect the dignity and rights of its citizens. The University of Ghana as an international institution has a long history as a melting pot for diversity and inclusivity”, it added.

“The University of Ghana must act now”, it concluded.

Source: Eric Nii Sackey