Influencer’s Mother Pleads for Daughter as She Faces Death Penalty in Tanzania.

Tanzanian TikToker Jennifer Jovin, also known as Niffer, is facing some serious charges, and her mother, Mwanaisha Isaac, is fighting for her daughter’s life.

According to The Star, Isaac has publicly pleaded with President Samia Suluhu Hassan for forgiveness for her daughter, who is currently facing treason-related charges. In Tanzania, such charges are punishable by life imprisonment and, in more extreme cases, death.

“My name is Mwanaisha Isaac… I beg for forgiveness … I also did not like what she did, and I am asking for forgiveness on behalf of the entire family,” Isaac said in tears. “My daughter is the breadwinner for the entire family… We all depend on her and we ask you to forgive her and forgive us.”

Jovin was arrested in late October and is among 22 individuals charged before a Tanzanian court in a case drawing major public outcry. The Star notes that she faces a separate charge of conspiracy to commit treason, while the other 21 are charged with treason for allegedly destroying government property and infrastructure during post-election unrest.

Court documents and her lawyer indicate Jovin’s specific charge stems from allegedly encouraging people to buy face masks to protect themselves from tear gas during the wave of anti-government protests. Authorities claim that this amounts to promoting resistance against the state.

According to the BBC, this was the worst post-election violence the country has experienced in decades, overshadowing Tanzania's image as a beacon of peace and stability.

"Samia has pushed Tanzania to its thick winter of protests, instability and uncertainty," Prof. Peter Kagwanja, a Kenyan policy analyst, told the BBC.

The TikTok star’s lawyer shared that Jovin had not engaged in any actual violence herself. Human rights advocates, legal experts, and Jovin’s supporters online have questioned the severity of the charges, with some calling for a lesser punishment when it comes to handling online activism.

"The protests were just a culmination of years of anger and grievances that have been bottled in by Tanzanians," said Godfrey "Gado" Mwampembwa, a Tanzanian-born political cartoonist, to the BBC.

Under Tanzanian law, bail is not allowed for those charged.