Audio By Carbonatix
A social media influencer in Angola has had her prison sentence increased to two years for "insulting" President João Lourenço on TikTok.
Ana da Silva Miguel, popularly known as Neth Nahara, was initially sentenced by a court to six months in August.
However, an appeals court ruled that the sentence was too lenient and raised it to two years.
Ms Miguel accused the president on her TikTok account of "anarchy and disorganisation", local media reported.
She also blamed the president for the lack of schools, housing and employment in the oil-rich southern African state.
President Lourenço was re-elected for a second term in August last year in a closely fought election that extended the ruling MPLA party's decades-long dominance.
It has been in power since independence in 1975 and is accused of leading a repressive regime.
The appeals court in the capital, Luanda, said that Ms Miguel had used offensive words against the president, and the fact that she had the ability to influence public opinion made her conduct "more objectionable".
She had pleaded for leniency on the grounds that she was a first-time offender, a mother of young children, and regretted her remarks.
But the court dismissed her plea, and went further to order her to pay President Lourenço $1,200 (£1,000) for the "damage" caused to his reputation.
Judge Salomão Raimundo Kulanda described the president as "sovereign", and said the TikToker was aware of this.
Ms Miguel has more than 230,000 followers on TikTok and her videos attract thousands of views.
Her lawyer told Portuguese news outlet, Lusa, that this was the first time a person had been convicted in Angola for something they had posted on TikTok.
The lawyer added that the ruling was final. An appeal to the Supreme Court could not be made for a sentence that was less than three years.
The state prosecutor had asked for a harsher punishment, saying the initial six-month sentence was too "benevolent" and Ms Miguel was likely to put similar posts on social media again.
Angola is one of Africa's biggest oil exporters but most of its people live in poverty.
It has recently been hit by a wave of protests over the rising cost of living.
In August, campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the security forces of unlawfully killing at least 15 people, mostly government critics, since the beginning of the year.
President Lourenço in June sacked the economic minister following deadly protests over a reduction in a fuel subsidy, which led to a spike in prices.
Latest Stories
-
NACOC to begin licensing for medicinal and industrial cannabis cultivation
9 minutes -
It’s easier to move from GH₵100k to GH₵1m than from zero to GH₵100k- Ecobank Development Corporation MD
14 minutes -
Between faith and rights: A nuanced strategic view on the debate over an Islamic widow’s political ambition
26 minutes -
At worst, Baba Jamal should have been fined – Vitus Azeem
32 minutes -
Gender Minister visits the 31st December Women’s Day Care Centre and the Makola clinic
34 minutes -
Ayawaso East NDC primary: Why feed people for votes? Are they your children? – Kofi Kapito
38 minutes -
Ziavi Traditional Area begins funeral rites for Togbega Ayim Kwaku IV
47 minutes -
Photos: Mahama swears in Presidential Advisory Group on Economy
48 minutes -
Ghana intensifies boundary pillar construction with Côte d’Ivoire
48 minutes -
NHIA settles December–January claims worth GH¢400m for service providers
53 minutes -
Mahama warns economic advisers of ‘rough road ahead’ amid debt distress
53 minutes -
EC engages political parties in preparatory meeting for March 3 Ayawaso East by-election
56 minutes -
Forgiveness key to restoring broken relationships – Rev. Daniel Annan
57 minutes -
Joy Prime partners ALM for 2026 African Leadership Awards in Accra
1 hour -
Retaining Baba Jamal shows NDC condones vote-buying – Vitus Azeem
1 hour
