This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
On May 22, 2020, Tanzanian authorities arrested comedian Idris Sultan, the 2014 Big Brother Africa winner, for making fun of President John Pombe Magufuli in a video shared online.
According to his lawyer, Benedict Ishabakaki, Idris was taken to Oysterbay Police Station in Dar es Salaam for questioning by the cybercrime unit. The comedian has been in custody for two days, awaiting arraignment in court.
Idris' arrest is not the first time he has had a run-in with the law over matters related to President Magufuli. In 2019, he was arrested and questioned for over four hours at Central Police Station over an edited image of the President.
Idris used photo editing software to swap faces with Magufuli, prompting Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Paul Makonda to instruct him to report to the nearest police station. He was later released on bail.
Idris' lawyer revealed that detectives raided the comedian's house in search of more evidence before they prosecute him. The hashtag #FreeIdrisSultan has been trending on social media, with many celebrities and politicians calling for the comedian's release.
