Lawyers, activists, and opposition politicians in Sierra Leone are demanding the release of singer and political figure Zainab Sheriff, arguing that her imprisonment reflects a growing crackdown on free speech and political opposition in the country.
Sheriff, who rose to prominence as a musician and reality television personality before becoming active in opposition politics, was sentenced in April to four years and two months in prison after being convicted of incitement and making threatening remarks.
The charges were linked to comments she made during a political rally in January. Prosecutors presented a video recording during the trial, alleging that the Sheriff stated that individuals who rig elections had stolen the people’s mandate, committed treason, and deserved to be killed alongside their families.
The case has triggered criticism from rights advocates and opposition figures, especially following concerns raised by international observers over the transparency of Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections. Organisations, including the Carter Center, previously questioned aspects of the vote collation process.
Reacting to the Sheriff’s conviction, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the mayor of Freetown and a member of the opposition All People’s Congress party, said many people believe the singer is being made an example of.
“A lot of us feel this isn’t about the sheriff’s words,” Aki-Sawyerr said. “This is about Sheriff being used as a very, very visible, high-profile example of what you must not do in this society now. You must not speak your mind, or you can be charged and end up in jail.
“This is about ensuring that people are scared,” she added. “I am disappointed [in the sentence]. And that’s an understatement. The bottom line is, we’ve heard far worse.”
Sheriff was arrested on February 20 and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Despite several applications for bail, she remained in detention before being sentenced on April 14. She is currently being held in a maximum-security prison in Freetown.
Willietta Hughes, who supported the Sheriff’s legal case through the civil society organisation AdvocAid, criticised both the proceedings and the sentence handed down by the court.
She described parts of the trial as resembling a “show trial” and argued that prosecutors failed to prove that Sheriff’s comments led to violence or public unrest.
“We have seen people who have said far worse than what she said and they were either not prosecuted or were given a very low term,” Hughes said. “I see [Sheriff’s case] as sending a message to people that you can’t get up one day and say x, y and z, which is a person’s legal right.”
She further stated: “It’s a laughing issue, but we’ve seen the trend where the law is being utilised as a weapon against people who speak up.”
The controversy surrounding the sheriff’s imprisonment has revived debate over political freedom and freedom of expression in Sierra Leone.
Last year, social media influencer Hawa Hunt was arrested live on television over comments made about President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio. She was reportedly detained for two months.
In another case, United Nations experts wrote to President Bio in March 2023 regarding the arrest and treatment of more than 40 protesters, mostly women, who demonstrated against rising living costs and economic hardship in July 2022.
Hughes warned that Sheriff’s case could discourage women from speaking openly in politics and public discourse.
“As women, we are placed in a certain category where you can only say certain things,” she said. “The moment you say words which appear to be a bit strong, you are considered to be violating some sort of rule or law, and acting against your own gender.”
Women’s rights advocate Nemata Majeks Walker also expressed concern over what she described as a climate of fear for women in Sierra Leonean politics.
“It is sad that women’s voices are being oppressed, but women will continue to speak up,” she said. “They will be guarded but they will continue to speak. It will be difficult to speak the truth because you are scared, but we will continue to express that we have a right to take part in politics, we have a right to hold positions of power.”
Aki-Sawyerr also warned against what she described as increasing authoritarian tendencies in the country.
“It is scary the way the laws are being used. That’s why we have to keep speaking up. We can’t just ignore what I would say is the transformation of our democracy into an authoritarian state,” she said.
