Tanzania charges hundreds with treason, issues arrest warrants for opposition figures

NAIROBI, Kenya -- NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Tanzanian authorities charged hundreds of radical with treason implicit demonstrations astir disputed polls past month, successful a large escalation of governmental hostility arsenic the state reels from unit successful which an chartless fig of radical were killed.

In summation to dozens criminally charged a time earlier successful Dar es Salaam, dozens much look akin treason charges elsewhere successful the East African state according to galore complaint sheets that became publically disposable Saturday.

Police besides issued apprehension warrants for immoderate of the apical absorption officials who had not yet been jailed. They see Brenda Rupia, communications manager for the Chadema absorption group, arsenic good arsenic John Mnyika, its secretary-general.

Chadema is Tanzania's starring absorption party. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, has been jailed for respective months and besides faces treason charges aft helium urged electoral reforms up of voting connected Oct. 29.

Authorities look questions implicit the decease toll aft information forces tried to quell riots and absorption protests earlier and aft the vote. Chadema has claimed that much than 1,000 radical were killed and that information forces were trying to fell the standard of the deaths by secretly disposing of the bodies. The Catholic Church successful Tanzania has said that hundreds were apt killed.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who automatically took bureau arsenic vice president successful 2021 aft the decease of her predecessor, took more than 97% of the vote, according to an authoritative tally. She faced 16 candidates from smaller parties aft Lissu and Luhaga Mpina, of the ACT-Wazalendo party, were barred from running.

Rights groups described a clime of repression up of voting. There were enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings, according to Amnesty International and others. Tanzania’s authorities denies the allegations.

The African Union said this week that its observers had concluded the predetermination “did not comply with AU principles, normative frameworks, and different planetary obligations and standards for antiauthoritarian elections.”

AU observers reported ballot stuffing astatine respective polling stations and cases wherever voters were issued aggregate ballots. The situation surrounding the predetermination was “not conducive to peaceful behaviour and acceptance of electoral outcomes,” the connection said.

Single-party regularisation has been the norm successful Tanzania since the advent of multi-party authorities successful 1992.

But authorities critics constituent retired that erstwhile leaders tolerated absorption portion maintaining a steadfast grip connected power, whereas Hassan is accused of starring with an authoritarian benignant that defies youth-led ideology movements elsewhere successful the region.

A mentation of the governing Chama cha Mapinduzi party, which maintains ties with the Communist Party of China, has ruled Tanzania since its independency from Britain successful 1961, a streak that Hassan extended with her victory.