GJA Pushes Parliament to Enact Dedicated Defamation Law Amid Rising Suits Against Journalists

The General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Dominic Hlordze, has called on Parliament to enact a standalone defamation law, warning that the country's continued reliance on common law principles is leaving journalists, editors and judges without adequate legal guidance.

Speaking on JoyNews, Mr Hlordze argued that a dedicated statutory framework would clearly define what constitutes defamation, outline the legal defences available to journalists, specify remedies for complainants and set out appropriate sanctions — removing the uncertainty that currently affects all parties in media litigation.

"Those of us in the media have issues. Those in the judiciary, in court. So that will guide how all of us in the ecosystem will be able to navigate around it. As we don't have it, it is not helping us," he said.

SLAPP Suits a Growing Concern

Legal experts who participated in the same programme raised alarm over the increasing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP suits), where well-resourced individuals allegedly deploy expensive legal proceedings to intimidate journalists and suppress public-interest reporting. They contend that without clearly defined statutory protections, investigative journalism remains highly exposed to such legal pressure.

Mr Hlordze disclosed that more than 15 defamation and contempt cases involving journalists and media organisations are currently before the courts, with several others yet to enter the public domain. He noted that he is personally providing legal representation in 15 of those matters.

Whilst pressing for legislative reform, the GJA General Secretary stressed that journalists must not lose sight of their professional obligations, urging strict adherence to the GJA Code of Ethics. He acknowledged that achieving a new law would require sustained engagement with lawmakers and deliberate advocacy, cautioning that identifying the legal gap alone would not be sufficient to drive parliamentary action.