Tanzania Charges 100+ with Treason After Violent Election Protests; Rights Groups Allege Killings

Tanzania charges more than 100 with treason after violent election protests

A Tanzanian court on Friday formally charged more than 100 people with treason after protests over the October 29 election turned violent. Rights groups and opposition figures accused security forces of using excessive force and said civilians were killed during the unrest.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the October 29 vote with 98% of the vote, according to the electoral commission. The main opposition — which was barred from contesting the race — called the election a "sham." Violent unrest erupted across the country on election day, and a six-day internet shutdown hindered independent verification of events.

Hundreds of defendants appeared in a Dar es Salaam court. One judicial source said 138 people were charged; another said the number exceeded 100. A charge sheet seen by AFP accused the suspects of intending to obstruct the election and intimidate the executive by causing serious damage to government property. Under Tanzanian law, treason is a non-bailable offense, and those charged are expected to remain in custody until their next hearing.

Allegations of excessive force and high casualty estimates

The opposition party Chadema has claimed at least 800 people were killed during the post-election violence, and diplomatic and security contacts said some reports put the toll in the thousands. Authorities have not released official casualty figures.

In a joint statement with six other NGOs, the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) said there was "excessive use of force against unarmed demonstrators, including reprisal killings of civilians, some in their own homes." The NGOs said families had been traumatized, children witnessed violence, and young people were often targeted. They warned that the full extent of human rights abuses remains unknown and criticised the internet shutdown and media restrictions that impeded reporting.

"Some of them they have been beaten, they are sick, they have not received any medical treatment," said Paul Kisabo, a lawyer with the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, after viewing the accused in court.

Amos Ntobi, a Chadema regional secretary, said he had seen bodies in the streets and hospitals and had attended multiple funerals, including for children. He and other opposition figures said some local party leaders remained unaccounted for.

Observers describe the vote as compromised

In the run-up to the election, authorities moved against opposition figures by jailing some leaders and barring others from running. Early reports from African election observers said many Tanzanians were unable to "express their democratic will" because of the exclusion of opposition candidates, censorship, intimidation and signs of manipulation on election day. African Union observers also described the poll as "compromised."

Authorities have yet to provide an official account of casualties or a full independent investigation into the events surrounding the vote and the subsequent prosecutions.