The West African Network of Activist and Media Defence Lawyers (WANAMDEL), comprising 14 prominent legal professionals from 11 countries, was officially inaugurated in Accra on October 11, 2024.
The inauguration was led by Dr. Joseph Whittal, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
Spearheaded by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the network aims to provide robust legal support to activists and journalists facing persecution, with members pledging to defend freedom of expression and democracy in the region.
This followed a forum focused on the state of law and freedom of expression in West Africa. Notable members of the network include Samson Lardy Anyenini, Martin Kpebu, and Zakaria Tanko from Ghana; Moussa Sarr from Senegal; Thérèse Donu from Togo; and Sarnyenneh M. Dickson from Liberia, among others.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), which spearheaded the formation of the network, has pledged to take immediate and firm legal action against any attempts to intimidate journalists and activists in the region.
MFWA’s Executive Director, Sulemana Braimah, emphasized that the network will provide robust legal defense against the arbitrary abuse of journalists and activists.
“From today, when journalists and activists are arbitrarily abused, the legal response shall be swift and robust,” he declared during the event.
Braimah also reflected on the deteriorating state of democracy in West Africa, which was once considered one of the most progressive regions on the continent.
The rise of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau, alongside increasing authoritarian tendencies in other countries, has turned West Africa into a focal point of what many view as a global democratic decline.
However, Braimah commended the efforts of dedicated lawyers who have worked to defend human rights and slow the slide toward authoritarianism.
These legal defenders, Braimah stressed, have selflessly promoted and protected human rights, particularly by supporting journalists and activists who are unable to afford legal representation.
“With the presence of this network, those who exploit the inability of journalists to hire legal services should know that things have changed,” he said.
Dr. Joseph Whittal, chairing the forum, highlighted the connection between the military takeovers in the region and the erosion of the rule of law.
“Military rule does not respect the rule of law,” he remarked, underscoring how these developments have severely restricted democratic freedoms in West Africa.
The forum, themed “Countering legal obstacles to media freedom, civic expression, and the fight against impunity: challenges and prospects,” featured a panel discussion that explored the growing threats to freedom of expression and media independence in West Africa.
A Ghanaian journalist, Raissa, recounted her own experience of being assaulted by police officers in 2019, with the investigation ending in nothing more than an interdiction.
She lamented that the officers involved were never prosecuted, a situation she feels has undermined justice.
Moderated by Samson Lardy Anyenini, the panel also featured legal experts including Brice Houssou from Benin, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason from Nigeria, Neneh Cham from The Gambia, and Salifou Beavogui from Guinea.
They discussed the various challenges facing the press and activists, as well as the role that legal professionals can play in safeguarding civil liberties.
The Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Diana Asonaba Dapaah, represented by Vivian Opoku, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring freedom of expression.
Additionally, Palgrave Boakye Danquah, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, echoed the government’s dedication to upholding this fundamental right.
Prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer Femi Falana delivered the keynote address, in which he called for a campaign to enforce freedom of education.
He argued that without education, many citizens cannot fully enjoy freedom of expression.
Falana also urged the media to “educate and enlighten the people of Africa” about their rights, particularly freedom of expression and stressed the importance of resisting attempts to criminalize this basic freedom.
The inauguration of WANAMDEL represents a significant step forward in the fight for human rights and free expression in West Africa, offering a crucial lifeline to activists and journalists at risk of persecution.
