'Release the woman' — Kofi Asare condemns jail term on TikToker over false claims about Mahama

Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has called for the release of TikToker Camila Alhassan.

His comments come a day after the Accra Circuit Court sentenced the 43-year-old to one year imprisonment with hard labour for offensive conduct.

The Ghana Police Service later announced that she would also be arraigned before the High Court on a separate charge of false communication under the Electronic Communications Act.

Camila was convicted after pleading guilty to offensive conduct in connection with TikTok videos in which she allegedly made offensive remarks, false allegations and threats involving President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama.

However, the social commentator argued that imprisoning people for speech that does not incite violence or constitute a genuine threat is inconsistent with the principles of a constitutional democracy.

"A mature democracy is measured not by the absence of offensive or false speech, but by the wisdom, restraint, and proportionality of its response," Asare wrote in a social media post on Friday, July 17.

He argued that imprisonment should be reserved for offences involving incitement to imminent violence or genuine threats, rather than false or offensive speech, no matter how objectionable.

According to him, falsehoods should instead be addressed through facts, accountability and proportionate legal remedies.

"If our laws permit imprisonment for speech that does not incite imminent violence or constitute a true threat, then it is time to review them," he stated.

The Ghana Police Service, however, has defended its actions, stating that while the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, that right must be exercised responsibly and within the confines of the law.