The New Patriotic Party has petitioned the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana, drawing attention to what it describes as state-sponsored political persecution following the arrests and prosecution of some of its members and supporters.
The delegation, led by the party’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, presented the petition to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Ghana, Imane Ouaadil, at her residence in Accra.
According to the party, recent arrests carried out against supporters over public commentary and political expression constitute a blatant abuse of fundamental human rights, including the right to free speech and access to bail.
The NPP accused the government of gradually reintroducing what it termed a “culture of silence,” despite Ghana’s repeal of the criminal libel law in 2001 under the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Party officials argued that the use of provisions relating to false publication and offensive conduct is increasingly being weaponised against political opponents.
The petition follows heightened political tension surrounding proceedings at the Accra Circuit Court after a judge presiding over matters in Court 9 denied a bail application filed by the party’s Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC.
The court reportedly ruled that the accused could potentially commit further offences if granted bail, a decision that immediately triggered backlash from the opposition party and sections of the legal community.
The NPP had earlier held a press conference at its headquarters on May 17, 2026, criticising the ruling as politically biased and accusing the judiciary of serving the interests of the government. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin publicly questioned the judge’s conduct, claiming the ruling undermined legal fairness and due process.
While presenting the petition, the Second Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, said the party had deliberately chosen diplomatic engagement over street protests in an effort to pursue a peaceful resolution.
He stated that the immediate demand of the party was the release of Abronye DC on bail, warning that prolonged detention could further heighten political tensions in the country.
“When this goes on beyond a reasonable time, we are not going to sit down and watch. If it is about killing us, I have told my family that if I do not return home, they should understand the kind of struggle we are engaged in. This government, headed by President Mahama, does not understand that the criminal libel law was repealed, yet it is bringing back the culture of silence,” he said.
The delegation also conveyed the position of the party’s flagbearer and former Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua, urging the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps to relay their concerns to ambassadors and high commissioners accredited to Ghana.
The case involving Abronye DC has generated widespread legal and political debate, particularly over the interpretation of Sections 207 and 208 of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act relating to false publication and offensive conduct. Some legal practitioners and civil society actors argue that the provisions are overly broad and susceptible to abuse.
Prominent lawyer and media personality Samson Lardy Anyenini has publicly called for the repeal or review of the provisions, arguing that they risk suppressing free expression and democratic dissent in Ghana’s constitutional democracy.
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