PRINPAG Warns Against Judicial Prior Restraint

  


The Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) has strongly condemned a recent High Court ruling that temporarily restrains investigative journalist Innocent Samuel Appiah from publishing findings of an ongoing corruption investigation.
In a press statement issued on December 29, 2025, PRINPAG described the decision by Justice Nana Brew of the Human Rights Court 2 in Accra as a troubling development that threatens press freedom and accountability in Ghana.
The court granted an interlocutory injunction preventing Mr. Appiah from publishing details of his investigation into alleged corruption involving Cynthia Adjei and the Lysaro Group, despite the fact that the investigative report had not yet been made public.
PRINPAG argues that the ruling amounts to prior restraint, a practice the association says undermines the media’s constitutional role as the Fourth Estate and weakens public interest journalism.
“The injunction, issued before publication, risks shielding alleged wrongdoing from legitimate public scrutiny,” the association stated.
The media body also rejected suggestions made during the proceedings that journalists should limit their work to collaborating with state investigative agencies such as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). According to PRINPAG, such a view misrepresents the media’s independent watchdog role.
“The media is not an extension of state institutions,” the statement emphasized, noting that investigative journalism serves the public interest by independently pursuing the truth.
PRINPAG further expressed concern that the court appeared to accept arguments insulating the respondents from public accountability on the basis that they are private business entities, despite alleged links to public influence and state-related transactions.
“Ghana’s democracy cannot thrive where individuals who benefit from proximity to public office are placed beyond journalistic scrutiny,” the association warned.
While reaffirming its respect for the judiciary, PRINPAG cautioned that the ruling could encourage a growing trend where public officials and their affiliates use legal processes to stifle media oversight, a development it says is incompatible with transparency and the fight against corruption.
The association urged Mr. Appiah to appeal the ruling and pledged its full legal and institutional support, stressing that its stance goes beyond defending one journalist to protecting the public’s right to know.
PRINPAG also disclosed that it is engaging stakeholders to explore mechanisms for independently verifying and further investigating issues of significant public interest arising from the case.
Calling on the Judicial Service of Ghana to carefully consider the broader implications of such rulings, PRINPAG said the courts must be seen as partners in accountability rather than shelters for those seeking to evade public examination.
“The media will not relent in its duty,” the statement concluded, as PRINPAG appealed to civil society, Ghanaians, and international partners to stand in defense of press freedom, democratic integrity, and transparency.

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