A US-based Zambian influencer and estate agent, Ethel Chisono Edwards, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for hate speech against Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema. The court found her guilty under the Cyber Security Act and Cyber Crimes Act, both of which were introduced this year.
Edwards, 42, who also holds US citizenship, was arrested at Lusaka airport after arriving to attend her grandmother's funeral. She had been ranting about President Hichilema on social media for over a year before her arrest. Edwards pleaded guilty and apologised to the president, saying she wanted to "unreservedly apologise" for her words.
Edwards' lawyer described her as a remorseful first offender with potential, but also detailed how she would be unable to work as an estate agent while in prison, earning what he called her "main breadwinner income". Edwards had sponsored a Zambian girls' football team and her lawyers said she was a philanthropist.
The court took into account Edwards' remorse and expressed that it was necessary for the nation to send a strong warning. The magistrate stated that hate speech has become increasingly common, highlighting concerns over Zambia's rising intolerance and societal divisions.
However, the sentence has divided public opinion in Zambia with some saying it is too severe while others see it as necessary to combat hate speech on social media.
Edwards, 42, who also holds US citizenship, was arrested at Lusaka airport after arriving to attend her grandmother's funeral. She had been ranting about President Hichilema on social media for over a year before her arrest. Edwards pleaded guilty and apologised to the president, saying she wanted to "unreservedly apologise" for her words.
Edwards' lawyer described her as a remorseful first offender with potential, but also detailed how she would be unable to work as an estate agent while in prison, earning what he called her "main breadwinner income". Edwards had sponsored a Zambian girls' football team and her lawyers said she was a philanthropist.
The court took into account Edwards' remorse and expressed that it was necessary for the nation to send a strong warning. The magistrate stated that hate speech has become increasingly common, highlighting concerns over Zambia's rising intolerance and societal divisions.
However, the sentence has divided public opinion in Zambia with some saying it is too severe while others see it as necessary to combat hate speech on social media.
... like, I get it, hate speech is bad and all that, but 18 months in prison seems kinda harsh for someone who was just venting on social media 
. I mean, I've seen some crazy stuff online myself, but at least I didn't go to jail over it 
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. Can't we just talk things through and work towards understanding each other instead of resorting to punishment? 
the guy who started this has to be a real hardliner to lock her up like that, i mean 18 months is pretty harsh even by international standards 
anyway gotta feel bad for Ethel though, she's got kids and stuff to support now 
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. Hate speech r stil a big issue n zambia needs to address it but sendin someone to prison mightnt b the best solution... maybe jus a warnin or a community service thingy wud b more suitable?
She was just expressing her opinion (or not so much) and it got her in trouble. But then again, she did go on a pretty hate-filled tirade, so I can see where the court's coming from. 
It's also interesting that some folks are saying this sentence is too severe, while others think it's necessary to send a message. 
I also don't buy into the idea that she was just ranting for attention, there's a difference between freedom of speech and hate speech. 
the fact that zambia is taking a strong stance against it is cool, but 18 months feels like an extreme measure...i hope she gets to complete her sentence without any major issues 
I'm not saying what she did was cool, but come on, 18 months in the slammer is a lil too much for a hate speech mistake 
. I'm curious to see how it affects her and if she'll be able to continue doing good work in Zambia once she's outta prison 
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. But at the same time, I feel like 18 months is a bit harsh for someone who apologized in advance and even did some good work supporting a girls' football team 
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And yeah, it's good that the court took into account Edwards' remorse and all that. But at the same time, I'm worried about how this sentence will affect people who are already vulnerable - like, immigrants or minorities who might be more likely to get caught up in online beefs... 
, 18 months isn't that long for spreading hate speech online. I mean, she was being super rude about the president and basically calling him out on social media... yeah, no wonder they took action 
. I guess she got a slap in the face for being so mouthy, but still... 18 months is pretty chill compared to some other countries' punishments 
but at the same time, you gotta think about how many ppl get hurt by hate speech all the time 
. We need to find a balance between holding people accountable for their words and not punishing them too harshly for expressing their opinions. It's like, if you're gonna lock someone up, make sure it's for something really serious, right? But this case just seems like an overreaction to me 
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anyway 18 months in prison seems kinda harsh i feel bad for her, she sounded really remorseful and all that. what do u think is the right way to deal with hate speech tho? should she have just apologized and moved on or is it needed to be punished like this? btw has anyone seen those zambian girls' football team vids on tiktok 