Amnesty International has called on The Tanzanian authorities to urgently halt the mass arrests and arbitrary detention of government critics.
According to Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director, East and Southern Africa, the arbitrary arrest of government critics is an intimidation of opposition members at the time the country is in an electioneering period. Tanzania will hold local government elections in December and the general election in 2025.
On 11 August, Tanzanian police arrested and detained leading figures from Tanzania’s Party Chadema, including former presidential candidate Tundu Lissu and party’s Chairman Freeman Mbowe among other leaders.
Also arrested were hundreds of youth supporters, as well as five journalists for violating a ban on holding a youth conference. They were arrested during a meeting at Chadema’s Nyasa zonal office in Mbeya, southwest Tanzania, ahead of International Youth Day on 12 August.
“The mass arrests and arbitrary detention of figures from the Chadema party, as well as their supporters and journalists, is a deeply worrying sign in the run-up to local government elections in December 2024 and the 2025 general election. The Tanzanian authorities must urgently respect people’s rights to freedom of expression and association,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/08/tanzania-end-mass-arrests-and-arbitrary-detentions-of-political-opposition/
According to a party official, the leading figures were taken by police to unknown locations, while other party members and journalists were transported to various police stations in Mbeya.
Chadema lawyers wondered why they were blocked from holding their peaceful rally while allowing the Pro-government youth to their political gatherings
‘’The authorities have been restricting activities of the political opposition while allowing politicians from the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party to meet unhindered’’ Said Chadema Lawyers.
Amnesty international condemnation was Echoed by The Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), which demanded the unconditional release of all political leaders who were arrested over planned Bavicha’s Youths International Day.
‘’TLS is concerned by the violation of the Constitution and the ongoing arrest which is against the 4Rs of President Samia Suluhu Hassan that calls for reconciliation, tolerance, change, and reconstruction,” said TLS
TLS president Boniface Mwabukusi has pleaded with the Police Force to respect the rule of law and focus on protecting citizens and their property and stop political sideshows.
“Therefore, we urge the Police Force to immediately stop actions that suppress the right to association and expression, which is a violation of the Constitution and the laws of the country’’
