The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has ruled that the rearrest, detention, and subsequent deportation of Shalima Abusi, the New Force Spokesperson, on December 19, 2023, constituted an unlawful violation of her liberty.
The court awarded her $10,000 (approximately GH₵160,000) in compensation.
In its judgment, the court established its jurisdiction to hear the case and determined that the actions against Abusi violated Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees the right to liberty and security of person.
Hon. Lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu, who represented Abusi alongside Lawyer Belinda Narkey Quaynor, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. “I feel vindicated that the ECOWAS Court has upheld Shalima’s rights,” Sosu stated, commending the court for its commitment to justice and human rights.
The ruling reaffirms the importance of adherence to human rights standards by member states and highlights the ECOWAS Court’s role in safeguarding individual liberties in the region
