The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the decision of an Accra Circuit Court to sentence *Madam Camilla Alhassan to one year in prison* for “offensive conduct” over online comments she made about President John Mahama, describing it as a dangerous slide back to Ghana’s “dark days.”
In a statement signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong* and released on Wednesday, 16th July 2026, the NPP said the imprisonment raises “profound constitutional questions” about free speech guaranteed under Article 21 of the 1992 Constitution.
“If The President Feels Defamed, Go Civil, Not Criminal”
The Party argued that where defamation is alleged, the remedy lies in civil court, not criminal prosecution.
“If any person, including the President of the Republic, believes that he has been defamed, our legal system provides a clear, civilised and well established remedy: an action in civil defamation,” the statement said.
“What we have witnessed instead is the deployment of the coercive machinery of the State… to punish an ordinary citizen and send a chilling message to every Ghanaian who dares to express an opinion against this intolerant NDC government.”
The NPP said resorting to arrest, prosecution and imprisonment “projects not confidence, but insecurity; not democratic strength, but executive intolerance.”
Condemnation Of Treatment At Court
The Party also expressed outrage at how Madam Alhassan was handled at the court premises, saying she was “paraded and handled as though she were a dangerous violent offender.”
“The Ghana Police Service exists to serve the Republic and uphold the Constitution, not to intimidate citizens or become an instrument of political fear,” the statement added.
The NPP is demanding accountability for the “heavy handed and dehumanising conduct” it says undermines public confidence in law enforcement.
Call To Civil Society, Peace Council And Diplomats
The NPP called on key stakeholders to speak up, urging:
1. Civil society, the Ghana Bar Association, and the Media to unite against the “criminalisation of expression in Ghana.”
2. The National Peace Council to recognise the threat to civic freedoms and urge government to uphold constitutional liberties.
3. The diplomatic community and international partners to take note and continue supporting Ghana’s democratic values.
“Ghana’s reputation as a beacon of democracy in Africa was not built by imprisoning citizens for expression. It must not be diminished by decisions that erode confidence in our commitment to constitutional freedoms,” the Party stated.
Notice Of Appeal And Warning Against “Dark Days”
The NPP said it will support an “immediate appeal” against the conviction and sentence and will stand with Madam Alhassan’s legal team 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 noted.
The Party warned against a return to eras when dissent was silenced.
“The Ghanaian people remember the painful chapters of our history when fear silenced dissent… The developments of today have reignited legitimate concerns about the direction of our democracy. Free speech is not a crime. Democracy must never become an empty slogan. Ghana must never go back.”
