MBEYA, TANZANIA — A Tanzanian artist, Shadrack Chaula, has been released from prison after paying a substantial fine. He was initially jailed for burning a photo of President Samia Suluhu Hassan in a video that garnered significant attention on TikTok.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the artist was freed on Monday from a facility in the southwestern town of Mbeya after activists mobilized funds to cover his five million Tanzanian shillings fine (approximately 1,740 euros). Chaula was convicted last week of disseminating offensive information online following his video, where he not only burned the president’s image but also made severely disparaging remarks about her.

In a statement released after his departure from prison, Chaula thanked his supporters and legal team, stating his intention to challenge the conviction on the grounds of procedural violations during the trial. The Mbeya region police chief, Benjamin Kuzaga, had previously described Chaula’s actions in the video as excessively harsh and degrading to President Hassan.

The video in question included Chaula accusing President Hassan of egregious acts, including the alleged murder of her predecessor, John Magufuli, and endorsing homosexuality in Tanzania. President Hassan, who assumed office after Magufuli’s death in 2021, has notably shifted away from some of her predecessor’s more authoritarian policies and implemented several reforms, including easing restrictions on the media and opposition.