Tanzania’s Human Rights Record Under Scrutiny Ahead Of 2025 Election

Post Reporter

Tanzania’s main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, is facing treason charges that have sparked concerns about the state of democracy in the country. Lissu, the head of the Chadema party and runner-up in the 2020 presidential election, appeared in court on Monday after being arrested over a month ago at a rally in Mbinga. He was subsequently driven to a prison in Dar es Salaam, over halfway across the country.

The charges against Lissu stem from his comments calling on supporters to prevent the national elections in October from proceeding unless their credibility is assured. If convicted, he faces the death penalty, a capital offense under Tanzanian law. Lissu’s detention has been deemed arbitrary by his lawyers, who have filed a complaint with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution denouncing Lissu’s arrest as politically motivated, and his international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, plans to petition the U.S. State Department to impose sanctions.

The detention of Lissu has raised concerns about Tanzania’s human rights record, particularly with regards to freedom of expression and assembly. Two human rights activists from Kenya and Uganda, who attended Lissu’s court hearing, were detained, tortured, and abandoned near their home countries’ borders.

Tanzania’s government spokesperson has not commented on the allegations, while President Samia Suluhu Hassan has warned outsiders against interfering in the country’s affairs

Human rights activists Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire were detained in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s economic capital, while showing support for opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces a potential death sentence in a treason trial ahead of October elections.

Describing their ordeal, Mwangi said, “They take you through sexual torture, and tell you if you speak, you’re going to be reported to your family and all that.” The two activists recounted their experiences at a press conference, shedding light on the harsh treatment they endured during their detention.

Their case has drawn attention from the opposition, rights groups, and the US Bureau of African Affairs, who have criticized President Samia Suluhu Hassan for allegedly following the authoritarian path of her predecessor, John Magufuli