NPP Condemns Jailing of Camilla Alhassan, Calls It Attack on Free Speech

The New Patriotic Party has condemned the sentencing of Madam Camilla Alhassan to one year in prison, describing the decision by an Accra Circuit Court on 16th July 2026 as a dangerous blow to freedom of expression.

In a statement signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said it received the conviction for "offensive conduct" over online comments about President John Mahama "with deep shock, outrage and profound concern."

The party argued that jailing a citizen for expressive conduct raises serious constitutional questions under Article 21 of the 1992 Constitution.

“No amount of legal formalism can conceal the fact that a Ghanaian has today been deprived of her liberty in circumstances arising from her expression. This is not the hallmark of a confident democracy,” the statement said.

The NPP said if any person, including the President, feels defamed, the proper remedy is civil defamation in court, not criminal prosecution.

“If the President Feels Defamed, the Constitution Points Him to a Courtroom, Not a Prison Cell,” it stated.

The party also criticised how Madam Alhassan was treated at the court, saying she was “paraded and handled as though she were a dangerous violent offender.” It accused the Police, Attorney General and the courts of being used to “send a chilling message to every Ghanaian who dares to express an opinion against this intolerant NDC government.”

*Call to Action*

The NPP is calling on:

1. *Civil society, the Ghana Bar Association and the Media* to speak against the “criminalisation of expression in Ghana.”

2. *The National Peace Council* to urge government to uphold constitutional liberties.

3. *The diplomatic community and international partners* to defend the democratic values Ghana has built over decades.

The party said it will support every lawful effort for an immediate appeal. “We shall stand firmly with Madam Alhassan and her legal team and remain committed to ensuring that every available legal remedy is pursued until justice is done.”

“Where the law is perceived to have been used as an instrument of oppression, the law itself must remain the citizen’s shield,” the statement added.