Ana da Silva Miguel, a social media influencer in Angola, has had her prison sentence extended to two years for “insulting” the country’s president on TikTok.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ms Miguel also known as Neth Nahara, was first given a six-month prison term by a judge in August. The sentence was, however, increased to two years by a court of appeal after it was decided that the earlier sentence was too lenient.
According to local media, Ms. Miguel accused the president on her TikTok account of “anarchy and disorganisation” and held him responsible for the lack of job opportunities, housing, and schools in Angola, a country rich in oil resources.
The appeal court in Luanda, the nation’s capital, ruled that Ms. Miguel, who has a substantial following on TikTok, with over 230,000 followers and videos garnering thousands of views, had insulted the president. Her actions were considered “more objectionable” due to her potential to influence public opinion.
Despite pleading for leniency and claiming to be a first-time offender and a mother of young children, Ms. Miguel’s request for forgiveness was rejected by the court.
Additionally, she was ordered to pay President Lourenço $1,200 for the “damage” done to his reputation.
The Judge, Salomo Raimundo Kulanda referred to the president as “sovereign,” stating that Ms. Miguel was aware of the consequences of her actions.
According to her lawyer, this was the first time someone in Angola had been found guilty for their content on TikTok, and the lawyer stated that the decision was final, as sentences of less than three years are not eligible for appeal to the Supreme Court.
The state prosecutor had sought a harsher sentence, arguing that the initial six-month term was too lenient, and that Ms. Miguel was likely to make more such remarks on social media.
In a fiercely contested election in August of the previous year, President Lourenço secured a second term, continuing the MPLA party’s decades-long rule. This party, in power since the country’s independence in 1975, has faced accusations of establishing a dictatorial regime.
