The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the one-year prison sentence imposed on Madam Camilla Alhassan by the Accra Circuit Court, describing the conviction as a threat to freedom of expression and constitutional democracy.
A statement issued by the party on July 16, 2026, and signed by its General Secretary, Mr Justin Kodua Frimpong, said the NPP was shocked by the court’s decision to convict and sentence Madam Alhassan for offensive conduct arising from comments she made online about President John Dramani Mahama.
The party said the conviction raised serious constitutional concerns, arguing that freedom of speech was guaranteed under Article 21 of the 1992 Constitution.
According to the statement, if the President considered the comments defamatory, the appropriate course of action should have been a civil defamation suit rather than criminal prosecution.
The NPP alleged that the State had used the Police, the Attorney General and the courts to punish a citizen for expressing an opinion, warning that such actions could have a chilling effect on free speech and discourage citizens from expressing their views.
The party also criticised the treatment of Madam Alhassan during the court proceedings and after her conviction.
It described the manner in which she was handled by security officers as dehumanising and said it undermined the dignity of the individual as well as public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
The statement called on the Ghana Police Service to uphold the Constitution and protect the rights of citizens rather than become an instrument of intimidation.
The NPP further appealed to civil society organisations, the Ghana Bar Association, the media and human rights organisations to speak against what it described as the criminalisation of free expression.
It also urged the National Peace Council to encourage the Government to uphold constitutional freedoms and called on the diplomatic community and Ghana’s international partners to continue supporting democratic values and the protection of civil liberties in the country.
The party announced that it would support an immediate appeal against Madam Alhassan’s conviction and sentence.
It pledged to stand with her and her legal team in pursuing all lawful avenues to challenge the ruling.
The NPP maintained that Ghana must not return to an era in which citizens feared expressing their views, stressing its commitment to defending the constitutional rights of Ghanaians to freely express themselves and hold public office holders accountable.
