Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to grant a presidential pardon to Ghanaian TikToker Camilla Alhassan, who is serving a one-year prison sentence over comments she made on social media.

Afenyo-Markin made the appeal during the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards held in Accra on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

He used the occasion to raise concerns about the criminal prosecution of individuals over social media publications and the possible impact on freedom of expression in Ghana.

“I appeal to President Mahama to pardon Camilla Alhassan, who is in jail because of her social media activity. We must not allow fear and panic to become the new language of political control,” he said.

Why Was Camilla Alhassan Jailed?

Camilla Alhassan, 43, was sentenced by an Accra Circuit Court on July 16, 2026, to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour after pleading guilty to offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace.

The case followed videos she posted on TikTok between June 30 and July 5, 2026, containing derogatory and threatening remarks about President Mahama and his family.

The prosecution said the statements were capable of provoking a breach of the peace.

Afenyo-Markin Questions Criminalisation of Speech

The Minority Leader argued that Ghana must protect citizens’ constitutional right to express opinions, criticise public officials and participate in national discussions without fear of imprisonment.

He stressed that the Minority was not defending irresponsible speech, hate speech, incitement or publications that damage people’s reputations.

However, he maintained that criticism, satire, political comments and honest mistakes should not automatically become grounds for criminal prosecution.

Afenyo-Markin also called for the repeal of Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), which deals with the publication of false news likely to cause fear and alarm.

He further called for a review of provisions of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775), arguing that civil remedies should be considered in appropriate cases involving defamatory or damaging publications.

Debate Over Freedom of Expression

The appeal has renewed public discussion about the balance between freedom of expression and responsible social media use.

While citizens have constitutional rights to express their views, the case has raised questions about how criminal laws should apply to online publications, particularly when they involve public officials.

Afenyo-Markin urged the President to demonstrate his commitment to media freedom by considering clemency for Alhassan.

As of the time of reporting, there had been no official announcement from the Presidency granting the requested pardon.

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