By Eric Appah Marfo, GNA
Accra, Nov. 8, GNA – Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Minority Leader has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to consider granting a presidential pardon to Camila Alhassan, a 43-year-old Ghanaian
TikToker serving a one-year prison sentence for offensive conduct.
He said the case of Ms Alhassan raised concerns about the use of criminal sanctions in dealing with speech-related offences and urged the President to consider extending clemency to her.
The Minority Leader made the appeal at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards in Accra on Saturday, as he called for greater protection of freedom of expression and a review of laws he said were being used to criminalise speech.
Themed: “30th GJA Media Awards: Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age,” the milestone event will celebrate the media’s contribution to Ghana’s democratic governance, national cohesion and socio-economic development.
Mr Afenyo-Markin’s appeal formed part of his broader argument that Ghana must protect citizens’ constitutional right to express opinions, criticise public officials and participate in national discussions without fear of intimidation or imprisonment.
Ms Alhassan was sentenced by an Accra Circuit Court on July 16, 2026, to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour after pleading guilty to a charge of offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace.
The case followed a series of videos she posted on TikTok between June 30 and July 5, 2026, in which she made allegations against President Mahama, including a claim that he had sacrificed 32 cows to secure victory in the 2024 general election.
She also alleged that the government’s distribution of sanitary pads to victims of the June 29, 2026, floods was intended to conceal the alleged sacrifices.
According to reports of the court proceedings, the prosecution said she had made offensive and derogatory remarks about the President and the First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, including statements considered capable of provoking a breach of the peace.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) heavily criticized the arrest, tracking it as part of a worrying pattern of “creeping criminalisation of speech”
It said Ms Alhassan was charged under Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), for offensive conduct and publication of false news, respectively.
However, the court convicted and sentenced her on the offensive conduct charge under Section 207. Her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi-Bonsu, said the court did not proceed with the publication of false news charge because it lacked jurisdiction to determine that offence.
The one-year sentence generated public debate about the balance between freedom of expression and the responsibility of social media users to avoid publishing abusive, threatening or unsubstantiated content.
In his address, Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the criminal law should not be used as the primary response to public criticism, falsehoods or offensive remarks, and called for the repeal of Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act and Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775).
He said defamation and other speech-related disputes should, where appropriate, be addressed through civil remedies such as retractions, apologies and compensation rather than criminal prosecution and imprisonment.
The Minority Leader also cautioned against the use of strategic lawsuits to intimidate journalists and other citizens, saying such actions could exhaust their resources and discourage public scrutiny.
“When every uncomfortable statement becomes a potential criminal case, the result is not a more truthful society. The result is a more fearful one,” he said.
He added: “A nation that frightens its citizens into silence may appear orderly, but it is not free.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin said journalists were not enemies of the country but important actors in safeguarding democracy through their work of investigating, questioning and holding public officials accountable.
“Journalism is not a threat. To you, the journalists who are gathered here tonight, you are not enemies of Ghana. You are among its guardians,” he said.
He acknowledged that freedom of expression did not excuse irresponsible communication but maintained that the response to falsehood should be truth and facts rather than the automatic resort to criminal prosecution.
Mr Afenyo-Markin urged President Mahama’s government to demonstrate its commitment to media freedom through its actions, particularly in the handling of cases involving journalists and citizens who criticised those in authority.
GNA
Reporter: Eric Appah Marfo
[email protected]