Afenyo-Markin urges Mahama to free TikToker Camila, warns against fear as a political tool

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called on President John Mahama to grant clemency to Camila Alhassan, a TikToker currently incarcerated for her online conduct. Speaking at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards in Accra, Mr Afenyo-Markin warned against leveraging criminal punishment to suppress citizens from freely voicing their opinions.

He emphasized that a thriving democratic society must not foster an atmosphere where individuals feel apprehensive about articulating their thoughts or sharing perspectives. According to Mr Afenyo-Markin, fear must never be wielded as a tool to manipulate public discourse. "I urge President Mahama to pardon Camila Alhassan, who is incarcerated due to her social media activity.

We cannot permit fear and panic to become the new modus operandi for political control," he stated. Camila Alhassan was sentenced to a year of hard labor by an Accra Circuit Court in July 2026, following her guilty plea to offensive conduct resulting in a breach of the peace stemming from a TikTok video that contained disparaging remarks about President Mahama and his family members.