Shadrack Chaula: Tanzanian artist jailed for insulting president freed

Social media users paid Shadrack Chaula's $2,000 fine following his conviction last week.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUK General ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersTanzanian artist who burnt president's picture freed4 hours agoBy Wycliffe Muia, BBC News ShareMwananchi newspaper Shadrack Chaula won sympathy from many Tanzanians after his arrestA young Tanzanian portrait artist who was convicted last week of cybercrimes has been released from prison after social media users raised more than $2,000 (£1,600) to pay his fine.

Shadrack Chaula was ordered by a court to pay the fine or face two years in prison after he admitted recording a video that went viral on social media, showing him burning a picture of President Samia Suluhu Hassan while insulting her.

"Thank you very much fellow Tanzanians for coming to my rescue," Mr Chaula told journalists shortly after his release on Monday.

The case sparked an uproar in the country, with some lawyers saying the 24-year-old painter did not break any law by burning the picture.

Police said they arrested him for using "strong words" against President Samia in the TikTok video he recorded in Ntokela village near the south-western city of Mbeya.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c99wgpdqk9ko

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