ECOWAS court has ruled that the arrest and detention of Shalimar Abbiusi, the spokesperson for the New Force Movement, were unlawful.Abbiusi was apprehended in December 2023 for allegedly submitting false documents about being a student at Ghana Christian University College in order to obtain a residence permit.In October 2024, Abbiusi filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney-General at the ECOWAS Court.

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In a statement on November 22, 2024, the New Force Movement reported that the court found the arrest and subsequent deportation of Abbiusi violated Article 6 of the Liberty of People.The court ruled that Ghana had infringed upon Abbiusi’s rights and ordered the government to provide compensation to the plaintiff.“Despite the State Prosecutor dropping all charges against her, Ms.

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Abbiusi was unlawfully detained and faced immediate illegal deportation, highlighting a troubling pattern of abuse of power by government officials aimed at suppressing political

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dissent.

court has ruled that the rearrest and illegal deportation of Ms. Abbiusi was in violation of Article 6

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of the Liberty of People and has mandated compensation from the Ghanaian government,” the statement noted.Counsel for Shalimar, Francis Xavier-Sosu, expressed gratitude to the court and said, “He feels vindicated that the ECOWAS court has protected the rights of Shalimar.

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”The New Force reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring fairness and justice across African nations and urges the Ghanaian government to “respect human rights and uphold the rule of law, as guaranteed by our Constitution.”“The actions against Ms. Abbiusi exemplify a broader issue of political persecution that threatens the foundations of democracy in Ghana,” the New Force declared.

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They also urged civil society groups, human rights defenders, and the global community to speak out against such abuses and back initiatives aimed at reforming government institutions.

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