On January 1, 2025, Angolan TikToker Ana da Silva Miguel, known as Neth Nahara, was released from prison following a presidential pardon granted on December 25, 2024. Her release came after a year of international campaigning for her freedom, led by Amnesty International and other human rights advocates.
Grateful for the support, Neth Nahara shared a message with Amnesty International:
I want to say thank you to Amnesty International for everything you did for me… and for everyone who demanded my freedom. Right now, I am in my house, with my kids, and speaking to my husband and everybody. I want to say thank you.”
Ana da Silva Miguel, known as Neth Nahara
Arrest and harsh sentence
Authorities arrested Neth Nahara at her home in Luanda on August 13, 2023, after she posted a live TikTok video criticizing President João Lourenço. The next day, she was sentenced to six months in prison for “outrage against the state, its symbols, and bodies.”
On September 27, 2023, a court increased her sentence to two years after an appeal by the public prosecutor.
Health crisis and fight for justice
Neth Nahara, who is HIV positive, was denied access to her daily medication for eight months, putting her health at serious risk. Amnesty International launched an Urgent Action on December 15, 2023, calling for her immediate release and demanding that she receive proper medical care. Her lawyers also repeatedly appealed for treatment.
In December 2023, she was admitted to the prison hospital due to complications. By April 2024, she finally began receiving her HIV medication, and her health stabilized.
Amnesty International campaigned tirelessly for Neth Nahara’s release. The Write for Rights campaign and other advocacy efforts helped bring international attention to her case. This pressure led to President Lourenço granting her a pardon on December 25, 2024, paving the way for her freedom on New Year’s Day 2025.
NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
