Amnesty International has condemned the conviction and four-year prison sentence handed to Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu in an incitement case, describing the verdict as a “travesty of justice” and calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Reacting to Friday’s ruling, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, said the opposition politician should never have been prosecuted in the first place.
“Tundu Lissu should never have been arrested, let alone prosecuted and convicted. Today’s verdict and four-year prison sentence are the culmination of a deeply flawed process that was unjust from the moment of his arrest,” Chagutah said.
The rights organization said Lissu had already spent 577 days in detention solely for what it described as the peaceful exercise of his human rights, arguing that the proceedings were marred by serious violations of fair trial standards.
According to Amnesty International, Lissu was denied confidential access to his lawyers, forcing him to effectively represent himself, while live broadcasts of the proceedings were disconnected. The organization also alleged that international trial observers were arrested, mistreated and deported, and criticized the conditions under which Lissu was detained.
“The conviction and sentence cannot be considered the outcome of a fair trial,” Chagutah stated.
Lissu was convicted in the high-profile incitement case after being accused of urging Tanzanians to boycott the 2025 general elections over concerns about possible electoral malpractice. He was, however, acquitted of treason charges that had been brought against him following his arrest in April 2025.
Amnesty International urged Tanzanian authorities to overturn the conviction and release the opposition leader.
“The Tanzanian authorities must quash Tundu Lissu’s conviction and sentence, immediately and unconditionally release him, and end the misuse of treason and other laws to silence government critics,” Chagutah said.
The latest condemnation adds to growing international scrutiny of Tanzania’s handling of opposition politics and civic freedoms, with Amnesty accusing authorities of continuing a crackdown on critics and dissenting voices.
Lissu had spent 577 days in custody before Friday’s judgment, having been arrested on April 9, 2025, and charged with treason and incitement following remarks and social media posts calling for a boycott of Tanzania’s 2025 elections. The opposition leader remained behind bars throughout much of the proceedings as the high-profile case drew national and international attention.
During the proceedings, Lissu and members of his defence team repeatedly complained about restrictions on confidential consultations between him and his lawyers, arguing that the limitations undermined his ability to adequately prepare his defence. At various stages of the trial, Lissu also opted to personally address the court over concerns regarding the conduct of the proceedings.
The case was further marked by disputes over courtroom access, interruptions to public broadcasts of hearings and continued debate over the conditions under which Lissu was being held, issues that became a recurring feature of the lengthy legal battle before the court ultimately acquitted him of treason and convicted him on the incitement count.
Lissu is now expected to challenge both his conviction and four-year prison sentence through the appeals process, setting the stage for a fresh legal battle over one of Tanzania’s most closely watched opposition cases.
The sentence comes at a particularly painful moment for the opposition leader, who was unable to bid a final farewell to his brother as burial arrangements proceeded while he remained in custody.
