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Over 100,000 signatures have so far been collated across the country in a strenuous attempt to have the three Montie contemnors freed by President John Mahama.
Abu Razak Convener of the Research and Advocacy Platform, organisers of the ongoing book signing campaign said they are bent on collating one million signatures which they will present to the president as evidence of their displeasure towards the continued incarceration of the three contemnors.
Salifu Maase, host of Pampaso, a political discussion programme on Montie FM and his two panelists are serving a four month jail term for, among other things, threatening to kill judges and rape the Chief Justice Georgina Wood.
There were also fined together with the directors and owner of the station.
The judges hope the sentences will deter others in the future from engaging in what they describe as “irresponsible” conduct.
But the judges have been criticised by some followers of the NDC who say the sentences were too harsh.
Abu Razak believes same and hopes the president will respond positively to their call for freedom which they are expressing by way of the petitions.
A number of high profile personalities including Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Gender and Education all signing the petition.
He told Joy News the three contemnors and the directors were convicted by the court; they were fined by the court and that should be deterrent enough.
To hand custodial sentences to them was a decision too harsh, he insisted. He said with the criminal libel law repealed, there is no point in jailing the contemnors for comments they have made.
Whilst the judges had the right to jail the contemnors, he said he as an individual also has the right to organise petitions to ask the president to free the contemnors; the president also has the right activate his power of mercy and free them.
“We are not condemning the court for sentencing them. But what we are doing now is lawful. What we are asking the president to do is lawful.
“Nobody is causing mayhem,” he stated.
By-myjoyonline.com
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