Ghana: Revolutionary Injustice

Soon after it came to power, Ghana's ruling Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) established a "revolutionary" court system. Consisting of Public Tribunals which operate within the country's judicial system, this parallel system for the administration of justice has shown a cavalier disregard for normal judicial procedures. Created to further the government's political interests, only a handful of verdicts handed down by these courts have run contrary to the government's wishes. The Public Tribunals are the cornerstone of the government's institutionalized violation of human rights. The Tribunals operate under a veneer of legality that does not prevent widespread manipulation by the government, but which is often sufficient to make it difficult for Ghanaians to protest against their abuses.