Armies and security forces are to protect country and people

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Law enforcement forces are obliged to enforce the law and not to break it. They are supposed to arrest those suspected of infringing the law but have no right to torture or kill an accused person.

An accused person is supposed to be presumed innocent until found guilty. They are supposed to be taken before courts for trial. One is supposed to have access to one’s counsel and family members. This is the way to prevent inhuman and degrading punishment. The practice of disappearance without trace after arrest should be stopped.

At this very moment, the family members of those who were detained since Thursday and those of the UDP executive are yet to know where they are detained. Some of these people have medical problems. They have been taken away without regard to their medical status. This is dangerous as anything could happen to them. The case of Sheriff Dibba should be a warning to the authorities.

Hence, Foroyaa will continue to follow these cases and expose the violation of the Constitution which demands that the State serves as a protector of its people and not its dehumanisers.