Neth, a mother of two young children, was jailed for criticising Angola’s president on TikTok. She was summarily tried, convicted, and sentenced to six months in prison – later increased to two years.
At home, 32-year-old Ana da Silva Miguel is a singer and devoted mother to her two young children. But on TikTok she is better known as “Neth Nahara”, a fearless and fun social media influencer.
Growing up amid numerous challenges she became disillusioned with life being so hard. She couldn’t understand why a country with so much potential let so many live in poverty. Fed up with the lack of schools, employment, and opportunity, she took to social media and with her new persona “Neth Nahara” began encouraging women to seek education and independence, and bravely disclosed that she was living with HIV.
Last year, Neth went live on TikTok, openly criticising President João Lourenço. But the Angolan authorities are using a controversial new law to silence critical voices like Neth’s. The very next day she was arrested.
Neth now faces years in prison, for “insulting” the president. Being torn from her children is agonizing enough, but on top of this the authorities initially denied her vital HIV medication, only allowing this after repeated requests.
During the pandemic, Angolan people took to the streets to express their discontent with the president’s leadership, but the authorities wouldn’t listen. Instead, Neth and others like her are arbitrarily detained and mistreated because they dare to speak out. Neth’s children miss her every day.
Sign the petition and call on the Angolan authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Neth Nahara.