As Tanzania heads toward its October 29 general elections, Amnesty International warns of a deepening crackdown on dissent, marking a sharp reversal from early reform promises under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Opposition leaders, journalists, and activists face arbitrary arrests, torture, and even extrajudicial killings, with dozens reported missing.
Treason charges against opposition leader Tundu Lissu and restrictive new laws highlight how the government has weaponized the justice system to silence rivals. Amnesty’s report, “Unopposed, Unchecked, Unjust,” paints a grim picture of shrinking civic space and systemic repression.
Without international pressure, observers fear the polls could be reduced to a formality, held under a pervasive climate of fear.
Amnesty International
