The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has petitioned the diplomatic community in Ghana over what it describes as growing political persecution, suppression of dissent, and the erosion of democratic freedoms under the administration of President John Mahama.

In a petition issued on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the party accused the government of weaponising state institutions against political opponents, journalists, activists, and social media commentators critical of the administration.

The petition, signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong and Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, warned that Ghana’s democratic reputation was under threat.

“The Ghanaian people are increasingly witnessing a deliberate and systematic weaponisation of state institutions against political opponents, journalists, social media commentators, and dissenting voices,” portions of the petition stated.

According to the NPP, the country is gradually returning to what it described as a “culture of silence", where fear, intimidation, and politically motivated prosecutions are allegedly being used to suppress criticism and opposing views.

The party argued that the current administration is indirectly reintroducing "criminal libel" through the use of Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, despite Ghana repealing its Criminal Libel and Seditious Laws in 2001 under former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

“Today in Ghana, opposition political communicators, journalists, activists, “facebookers,” and “tiktokers” are increasingly being arrested, detained, prosecuted, and intimidated for comments critical of government officials or state institutions.

"The state’s response to political criticism has shifted from democratic engagement to criminal prosecution,” the petition said.

The NPP cited the recent arrest and prosecution of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, over comments he allegedly made about the judiciary.

The party argued that criticism of public officials, including judges, should not be criminalised in a constitutional democracy.

“Criticism of public officials, including members of the judiciary, is not a crime in a constitutional democracy,” the party said.

It also accused state security institutions, including the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Ghana Police Service, of allegedly carrying out politically motivated arrests and intimidation.

According to the petition, opposition members have been subjected to “Rambo-style arrests, midnight raids, dawn invasions of private residences, and prolonged detentions under onerous and punitive bail conditions".

The NPP further raised concerns over judicial independence following the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, claiming the development has created fear within legal and judicial circles.

“There is now a growing public perception that judges who render decisions unfavourable to the Executive risk professional victimisation or political retaliation,” the petition stated.

The party is therefore calling on the diplomatic community, development partners, and international human rights organisations to closely monitor Ghana’s democratic environment and publicly reaffirm support for freedom of expression, judicial independence, due process, and political pluralism.