Communication, Digital Innovation & Technology Minister Samuel Nartey George has summoned Russian Ambassador to Ghana Sergei Berdnikov for discussions after a Russian content creator known as Vyacheslav Trahova allegedly filmed and shared intimate videos of Ghanaian women online without their consent.

Speaking to the media, Mr George said he had directed the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), which operates under his ministry, to formally invite the ambassador for talks over what he described as the criminal dimensions of the controversy.

According to him, the matter is not about moral judgments but potential violations of Ghana’s laws.

“The individuals involved are not minors, they are adults who made decisions,” he said.

However, he stressed that the alleged non-consensual recording and distribution of the videos constitutes a crime.

His indignation, he explained, was with “the non-consensual sharing of the videos that were posted online - that's a crime!”

“It’s not a crime to be able to convince a man or woman to go with you into your room within six minutes. But it’s a crime to record a person without their consent. And even if you record and keep it on your phone, and the person finds out and reports to us, we’ll prosecute you and you’ll go to jail. That’s the law of the land,” he asserted.

Mr George further condemned the suspect’s actions, saying the recordings were not only made without consent but also shared publicly for profit through social media platforms.

He assured that authorities would aggressively pursue the case, including international cooperation.

“We’ll activate every resource in our disposal, working with Interpol; the [same] way we’ve worked with Interpol to extradite Ghanaians to other jurisdictions. We’d request the Russian authorities - that’s why we’ve invited the ambassador - to work with our law enforcement; we want the gentleman to be extradited to Ghana for him to face the rigours of our law,” he said.

The minister noted that the administration of John Dramani Mahama remains committed to safeguarding the rights of citizens, regardless of personal choices.

“Ghanaian citizens, irrespective of their decisionmaking, will be protected by their government,” he added.

He disclosed that the CSA is compiling a comprehensive case file under the Cyber Security Authority Act, 2020 (Act 1038), to support prosecution.

To underscore the government’s resolve, Mr George said legal proceedings could proceed even if the suspect fails to appear in Ghana.

He also urged the public to exercise caution in their interactions with visitors, as investigations continue.

Anyone found guilty of publishing explicit images of children or adults without full consent can face up to 25 years in prison in Ghana.

In 2022, Solomon Doga, a 22-year-old phone repairer, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in prison for sharing nude images of a Lebanese woman.