Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has described threats to kill President John Dramani Mahama and his children as “brazen criminality”, insisting that such conduct must not be defended in the name of free expression.
Speaking on behalf of the President at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards in Accra, he urged political leaders not to support threats and incitement to violence for partisan advantage.
“For instance, threatening to kill a president and his children is not free speech. It is brazen criminality. We, as political leaders, must not lend support to this level of criminality only because it enures to the benefits of our political fortunes,” he said.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu said political leaders must demonstrate consistency in their defence of free speech, particularly when journalists face threats for publishing critical or uncomfortable reports.
“Our words in support of free speech must not ring hollow, especially when in the north, in the past, journalists had to flee our country for fear of their lives because they published uncomfortable truths,” he stated.
The Minister stressed that efforts to combat hate speech should not become a justification for restricting dissent, critical journalism or unpopular opinions.
He said democracy depended on the freedom to disagree, but should not accommodate deliberate incitement of hatred, violence and intolerance.
“Democracy thrives on disagreement, and what it cannot accommodate is the deliberate incitement of hatred, violence, and intolerance. A clear distinction must be struck between criminal conduct and the expression of free speech,” he said.
The comments were made at the 30th GJA Media Awards, held under the theme, “Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age.”
The event brought together journalists, media organisations and other stakeholders to recognise excellence in journalism and discuss issues affecting media freedom.