Member of Parliament for Ho Central, Edem Kofi Kpotosu, has condemned threats against individuals, particularly threats to life, arguing that freedom of speech in a democracy does not give citizens the right to attack or endanger the lives of others.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Ho on Monday, August 10, 2026, the MP said although he was personally not happy about the arrest of persons over comments they had made, he believed the police had a responsibility to act when statements crossed the line from criticism into threats against an individual.

"I'm personally not happy with the arrest, but if you attack somebody's person, it's an offence,” Kpotosu said.

According to him, democratic freedoms should allow citizens to criticise policies, decisions and public officials, but such freedoms should not be interpreted as a licence to threaten people's lives.

He described the use of free speech as a justification for threatening someone's life as "absurdity", stressing that citizens must understand the limits of their rights and responsibilities in a democratic society.

"It's below the belt to attack the person, not the issue. Attack issues. Free speech means attacking issues and giving your viewpoint of the issue a stake, not the personality involved," he said.

Kpotosu explained that political discourse should focus on policies and issues rather than personal attacks against political opponents or public officials.

He said the political class also had a responsibility to set a good example because the conduct of politicians often influences the behaviour of their supporters.

"We, the political class, are living irresponsibly. That's why our followers also think they can just go on air and say anything," he stated.

The MP therefore called on politicians and their supporters to be more responsible in their public utterances, particularly when criticising government officials or political opponents.

He said political actors should distinguish between attacking a policy and attacking the personality of the person responsible for the policy.

"Anyway, the real people who are in the political class, they don't insult persons; they insult policies. So we should learn to look at the policy and attack the policy rather than attacking personality and personas," he added.

Kpotosu also cautioned people campaigning or demonstrating in support of individuals arrested over alleged offensive or threatening statements to be mindful of the messages they send to the public.

He said those advocating for arrested persons should not encourage irresponsible speech under the pretext of defending democracy.

"We, those who are fighting for those who have been arrested, should also caution them to know what to say and what not to say," he said.

The MP maintained that if a person believes an arrest is unjustified, the appropriate avenue is to challenge the allegations in court rather than assuming that an arrest automatically amounts to an attack on democratic freedoms.

"If you think the offences for which they are arresting you are not attainable, you meet them in court, and you fight it out," Kpotosu said.

He further argued that threats against individuals should be treated seriously because the intention behind such statements could have legal implications, particularly where a person allegedly demonstrates an intention to cause harm.

Kpotosu's comments come amid renewed public discussions over the boundaries of freedom of expression and when individuals can be arrested for statements made in public or on social media.

He urged Ghanaians to exercise their constitutional freedoms responsibly, stressing that democracy requires not only protecting free expression but also respecting the rights and safety of others.

He said the country's democratic development would be strengthened if political actors and citizens focused their energies on debating policies and national issues rather than resorting to personal attacks and threats.