Keypoints:
- Envoys seek answers on killings
- Call for independent inquiry
- Pressure grows over abuses
WESTERN embassies in Tanzania have urged the authorities to release the bodies of those killed during October’s post-election unrest and explain the circumstances of the deaths, intensifying international pressure over alleged human rights abuses. In a joint statement, 17 missions — including the UK and France — cited ‘credible reports’ of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and what they described as the concealment of bodies.
The government has not responded publicly. The diplomatic intervention comes days after President Samia Suluhu Hassan accused Western nations of interfering in Tanzania’s internal affairs. Reports suggest that hundreds were killed during the violence, though no official casualty figure has been published.
Crackdown after disputed election
Protests spread after the October 29 presidential election, which returned President Samia with nearly 98 percent of the vote. Her main political rivals were barred, prompting the opposition to dismiss the election as a ‘mockery of democracy’. The result triggered nationwide demonstrations, many led by young activists mobilising online.
Security forces responded with a sweeping crackdown. The authorities imposed a nationwide internet blackout and warned citizens against sharing footage of the protests. Rights groups say the blackout undermined transparency and fuelled concern over the scale of the violence.
President Samia has defended the outcome of the election and rejected criticism of her human rights record. She said the use of force against protesters was ‘necessary’ to stop what she called a coordinated attempt to overthrow the government.
Treason charges and detainees
In the weeks after the protests, more than 240 people were charged with treason. The president later asked prosecutors to ‘show leniency’, and many detainees have been released, according to local reports. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu is still in custody on treason charges filed in April.
The diplomatic coalition urged the government to free political prisoners, ensure detainees have access to legal and medical support, and allow an independent investigation into the unrest. Their statement called for an inquiry that is transparent and inclusive, with civil society, faith-based organisations, and political stakeholders involved in the process.
The missions also urged Tanzania to uphold constitutional protections, including freedom of expression and access to information.
UN and US warnings
The UN human rights office said on Friday that Tanzania had ‘intensified a crackdown against opponents’ since the election. Speaking in Geneva, spokesman Seif Magango said dozens of academics, civil society activists, and local political leaders had been arrested since mid-November, some reportedly by unidentified armed personnel.
Magango said hundreds were believed to have been killed during the unrest and that more than 2,000 people were detained. He called for the ‘immediate and unconditional release’ of all those arbitrarily held.
The US government has signalled it is reviewing relations with Tanzania, citing the use of force against protesters. The State Department said it ‘cannot overlook actions that jeopardise the safety of our citizens, or the security and stability of the region’.
Defiant response from the presidency
In a speech on Tuesday, President Samia repeated claims that unnamed foreign actors had worked with opposition figures to pursue ‘regime change’, without offering evidence. She warned that her government would confront further protests planned for next week.
Samia, 65, became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli. She was initially praised for easing political repression, but observers say space for dissent has narrowed again after the October election.
