A popular social media influencer in Angola, Ana da Silva Miguel, widely known as Neth Nahara, has seen her prison sentence increased to two years for allegedly “insulting” President João Lourenço on TikTok. Initially sentenced to six months in August, an appeals court deemed the punishment too lenient and raised it to two years.
Ms. Miguel, with over 230,000 followers on TikTok, accused President Lourenço of “anarchy and disorganisation,” and held him responsible for issues such as the lack of schools, housing, and employment in Angola, a country rich in oil resources. President Lourenço, who secured a second term in August last year, leads the MPLA party, which has been in power since the country’s independence in 1975 and is criticized for its repressive governance.
The appeals court in the capital, Luanda, stated that Ms. Miguel’s use of offensive language against the president, coupled with her ability to influence public opinion, made her conduct “more objectionable.” Despite her plea for leniency, citing her status as a first-time offender and a mother of young children who regretted her remarks, the court dismissed her appeal and additionally ordered her to pay $1,200 (£1,000) to President Lourenço for the alleged damage to his reputation.
The judge, Salomão Raimundo Kulanda, emphasized the president’s “sovereign” status and suggested that Ms. Miguel was fully aware of this fact. This case marks the first time an individual has been convicted in Angola for content posted on TikTok.
Angola, a major oil exporter in Africa, faces socio-economic challenges, with most of its population living in poverty. The country has witnessed recent protests over the rising cost of living, and in August, Human Rights Watch accused the security forces of unlawfully killing at least 15 people, primarily government critics, since the beginning of the year. President Lourenço has faced criticism and reshuffled his economic minister in response to deadly protests sparked by a reduction in a fuel subsidy, leading to increased prices.
