A Tanzanian portrait artist, accused of burning a photo of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has been sentenced to two years in prison or a fine of $2,000 (£1,600) after being found guilty of cybercrimes.
Shadrack Chaula was arrested for allegedly recording a viral video in which he burned a picture of President Samia while verbally insulting her.
The 24-year-old painter admitted to the crime and failed to defend his actions in court.
His arrest has sparked legal controversy, with some lawyers arguing that no law was broken by burning the picture.
Social media users have launched an online campaign to raise money to pay Chaula’s fine, allowing him to avoid jail time.
In 2018, Tanzania enacted stringent laws against the spread of “fake news,” which critics argue are aimed at curbing freedom of expression.
Police reported that Chaula used “strong words” against the president in the video he posted on his TikTok account on June 30 in Ntokela village, located in the southwestern city of Mbeya.
Local police chief Benjamin Kuzaga told journalists on Tuesday that the artist’s offenses included burning the president’s portrait and disseminating offensive content online.
“It is not the culture of Mbeya people to insult our national leaders,” Kuzaga said.
Some lawyers contended there is no law that criminalizes burning a picture of the president.
“Was the picture taken by a government photographer? Let them come out publicly and explain their impact on society and the nation. Who can show the law that burning a picture is an offense?” lawyer Philip Mwakilima told the Mwananchi newspaper.
Despite this, the act, deemed unethical in Tanzania, sparked public outrage.
On Thursday, magistrate Shamla Shehagilo found Chaula guilty of distributing videos on TikTok that contained false information, violating the country’s cyber laws.
The court ruled that his actions constituted cyber-harassment and incitement.
Chaula remained silent when given the chance to defend himself against the charges, according to local media reports.
The prosecutor urged the court to impose a harsh penalty on him to deter others from “disrespecting” the president.
The case has ignited a debate in the country, with critics arguing the sentence is too harsh and indicative of the government’s crackdown on dissent.
President Hassan, who assumed office in 2021, has introduced reforms to open up political and civic spaces. However, the opposition and rights groups have expressed concerns that the country is reverting to restrictive policies.