The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is considering the establishment of a Human Rights Watch Committee to monitor the protection of constitutional and human rights, particularly in cases involving social media commentators.
GBA President, Mrs Efua Ghartey, disclosed this at the opening of the Association’s 2026/2027 Annual Conference in Ada.
She said the proposed committee would enable the GBA to monitor how constitutional protections are applied in cases involving suspects, including recent arrests of TikTokers.
“In cases where social commentators, such as the arrest of TikTokers, the Committee would be able to give the requisite legal Aid to suspects,” she said.
Mrs Ghartey said the initiative forms part of the Association’s efforts to ensure that investigative and prosecutorial authorities operate within the constitutional framework, especially when dealing with the liberty and rights of suspects.
She also raised concerns about what the Association considers excessive bail conditions imposed by investigative and prosecutorial authorities.
According to her, the GBA adopted a resolution on the issue at its maiden fully virtual Mid-year Conference on June 5, 2026.
She stressed that bail conditions must comply with Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution and remain “reasonable, proportionate and consistent with the presumption of innocence.”
Mrs Ghartey said the Association’s position is aimed at ensuring that the constitutional right to personal liberty and the presumption of innocence are upheld in the administration of justice.
She added that the proposed committee would provide an additional avenue for the GBA to scrutinise cases where the fundamental rights of suspects could be at risk.
“We shall not relent on our efforts to hold statutory and governmental bodies to the constitutional standards of our country for our common good,” she said.
The 2026/2027 GBA Annual Conference is being held under the theme: “150 years of Ghana’s Legal Evolution: Transforming the Profession and Driving its Future with Industry.”
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