A group of 17 Western embassies in Tanzania is pushing authorities to hand over bodies from post-election violence to families and free political prisoners. The missions claim credible evidence points to extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and hidden corpses after President Samia Hassan won with nearly 98% of the vote.
Hundreds reportedly died when security forces crushed protests, but the government has not released official numbers. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu sits in jail on treason charges, while at least 240 others faced similar accusations before prosecutors showed leniency. The UN says dozens of activists, academics, and local leaders have been grabbed since mid-November, sometimes by unidentified armed groups.
Samia fired back at Western critics, claiming foreign actors worked with opposition groups to cause regime change, and defended the violent crackdown as necessary to stop a government overthrow. The US is rethinking its relationship with Tanzania over the heavy-handed response.
Hundreds reportedly died when security forces crushed protests, but the government has not released official numbers. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu sits in jail on treason charges, while at least 240 others faced similar accusations before prosecutors showed leniency. The UN says dozens of activists, academics, and local leaders have been grabbed since mid-November, sometimes by unidentified armed groups.
Samia fired back at Western critics, claiming foreign actors worked with opposition groups to cause regime change, and defended the violent crackdown as necessary to stop a government overthrow. The US is rethinking its relationship with Tanzania over the heavy-handed response.
