The Center for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana) has strongly denounced the recent incident at the University of Ghana, involving the assault, mistreatment, and infringement of the rights of an individual believed to be gay.
The Center also expressed condemnation for the filming of this brutal act and the subsequent dissemination of videos on various social media platforms. CDD-Ghana emphasized that all parties involved, including the victim, are presumed to be students at the university.
In a statement released on Tuesday, January 16, CDD-Ghana asserted, “This recent attack against an individual on the allegation of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community contradicts the University of Ghana’s handbooks, which contain inclusive and progressive standards and guidelines designed to protect students and everyone from any forms of discrimination.”
Additionally, CDD-Ghana called on the university authorities to “take immediate action to hold accountable the perpetrators who physically abused, disrobed, and paraded this individual around the campus, thereby violating his right to dignity as not just a student but as a human being.”
The incident, considered a violation of the fundamental human rights of the student under Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, also directly contravenes the university’s Non-Academic Offenses under Section C (v.). This section explicitly states that no junior member of the university shall engage in vexatious conduct directed at specific individuals based on factors such as sexual orientation, among others.
CDD-Ghana highlighted that Ghana is a state governed by laws protecting the dignity and rights of its citizens, and the University of Ghana, as an international institution, has a history of fostering diversity and inclusivity.
Consequently, CDD-Ghana urged the university authorities to initiate an immediate investigation into the incident, bring the perpetrators to justice, and provide medical and psychological support to the affected individual.
Source: Omanghana.com