Tanzanian artist jailed for burning president's picture freed
Tanzanian artist Shadrack Chaula was released from prison after a social media campaign successfully raised funds to pay his fine.
The 24-year-old portrait artist found himself at the centre of a legal storm after burning a picture of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The act he recorded and shared on social media was deemed a violation of the country's cybercrime laws, specifically spreading false information and cyber-harassment.
The video, which went viral, showed Chaula expressing strong words against the president, an action that led to his arrest and subsequent charge. The court decided to sentence him to two years in prison or pay a fine of 5 million shillings ($1,884).
The case sparked widespread debate over the boundaries of artistic expression and freedom of speech. Some lawyers argued that Chaula's actions did not break any law, while others contended that the sentence was too harsh, especially considering the artist's admission of the crime.
In response to Chaula's plight, users of social media platforms, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), rallied together to raise the necessary funds. Within six hours, they collected over $2,000 to pay the fine and secure Chaula's freedom.
According to the BBC, the remaining amount has been given to Chaula to support his artwork, as a gesture of solidarity and encouragement for his future endeavours.
"Thank you very much fellow Tanzanians for coming to my rescue," Mr Chaula told journalists shortly after his release on Monday, July 8.
There is a history of legal consequences for disrespectful comments towards African heads of state. For instance, in May 2024, Sainani Nkhoma faced arrest after manipulating an image to depict President Lazarus Chakwera's face on a cartoon character dancing oddly, along with offensive remarks about the president.
In a related case, Raphael Okoe Ankrah, aged 40, was detained by police in Ghana due to his disparaging comments about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which he shared via a social media video in May 2023.
