Ivorian Influencer Receives Prison Sentence for Online Defamation

Ivorian social media personality Observateur Ébène, real name Florent Kouakou Amany, was sentenced to 12 months in prison on April 23, with 6 months suspended, for online insults and defamation targeting actress Marie Paule Adjé.

Amany faced charges of damaging Adjé's reputation and image through an information system. He admitted to the accusations, claiming they were meant as a joke and part of a cultural practice of ethnic ribbing.

Adjé's lawyers disputed this explanation, portraying Amany as a repeat offender who uses social media to harass and defame others. They cited rapper Didi B and his wife as previous targets.

The presiding judge, acknowledging the potential harm of online slander, found Amany guilty based on the country's 2013 cybercrime law. Amany's lawyer, Me Sombo, expressed a belief that the sentence aimed to deter similar offenses by social media personalities.