Arrests of critics in Ghana raise alarm over free speech under Mahama

According to Al Jazeera, the number of journalists and online activists detained in Ghana for criticising the government has risen in recent weeks. Lawyers say most of the arrests rely on a "spreading of false information" clause in the country's cybersecurity legislation. Human Rights Watch and the Ghana Journalists Association have raised concerns about due-process consistency in the cases that followed.

Civil-society representatives told Al Jazeera that prosecutions of critical social-media accounts have increased since the start of President John Mahama's second term. A government spokesperson countered that the detentions rest on concrete legal grounds such as "incitement to violence and organised disinformation," and reflect no general curb on press freedom. Mahama's campaign emphasis on freedom of expression is being recalled in the debate.

The opposition NPP describes the cases as a tool of political pressure, while the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has not issued a formal statement. Analysts say judicial rulings in these cases will set a precedent for digital-space oversight in future election cycles. The story sits at the centre of a wider debate over growing digital control in the region.