Lawyer Bobby Benson condemns reputation attacks on social media in Ghana — MyJoyOnline

In Ghana, lawyer Bobby Benson criticized the use of social media to attack people and undermine their reputations under the guise of freedom of speech. According to him, such attacks are directed, among others, at people holding public office. Benson also said that he himself had been the target of similar attacks.

Lawyer’s statement

Benson said that some people spread harmful claims because they believe there will be no consequences for them. In his view, people are increasingly deliberately voicing information they know to be false and that harms society.

The lawyer stressed that freedom of speech does not give people the right to humiliate those holding public office. As MyJoyOnline reports, he made the statement on the JoyNewsfile program on September 25, amid a national discussion about the authorities’ response to harmful online content.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

The nurse’s case and the president’s position

The discussion intensified after the detention of nurse Salomey Aviti Baffoe. She is accused of helping a TikToker based in the United Kingdom publish and disseminate false information. The court is considering the charge, and on September 25 the High Court in Accra denied her bail.

President John Dramani Mahama called for restraint in cases related to expression. In a letter to the Media Foundation for West Africa and the Ghana Journalists Association, he stated that lawful criticism, political commentary, satire, and dissent should not be criminalized.

Mahama also called for alternatives to arrest and criminal prosecution to be considered if online content does not contain threats, incitement, violence, or other clearly criminal acts. During a meeting with Ghanaians in New York, he said that police actions can sometimes be excessive and again called for a national discussion on TikTok and other new media platforms.