LONDON, UK
The Tanzanian authorities
must immediately and unconditionally release former parliamentarian
and Tanzanian Ambassador to Sweden, Dr. Willibrod Slaa, a lawyer and activist, Boniface
Mwabukusi, a political activist, Mdude Nyagali, all of whom were arrested
between 12 and 13 August this year simply for criticizing a port deal between
Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Amnesty International said today.
The accord sets a legally
binding framework for the UAE to collaborate with Tanzania on the development,
management and operation of Tanzania’s ports, special economic zones, logistics
parks, trade corridors and other related infrastructure.
“The Tanzanian authorities’
crackdown on critics of the UAE port deal reveals their growing intolerance for
dissent. The authorities must stop arbitrarily detaining activists simply for
peacefully expressing their views and immediately and unconditionally release
these activists to ensure the respect of the right to freedom of expression,”
said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and
Southern Africa.
Slaa, Mwabukusi and Nyagali
have all publicly criticized the port deal. Mwabukusi led a court petition
arguing that the port accord contains clauses that violate Tanzania’s
Constitution and endanger national sovereignty and security.
According to his lawyer, Slaa
was arrested by police officers at his home in Mbweni, Dar es Salaam, on 13
August at around 1:00 pm and taken to Mbweni Police Station. He was then taken
back to his house, where the police conducted a search and confiscated some of
his communication devices.
After the search, the police took Slaa to Oysterbay Police Station.
Mwabukusi and Nyagali’s lawyer
told Amnesty International that he received a distress call from the two
activists when they were apprehended by police officers on 12 August, at around
3:00 am.
According to the lawyer,
Mwabukusi and Nyagali were arrested near Mikumi in Morogoro region, eastern
Tanzania, while traveling to Dar es Salaam from Mbeya, southwest Tanzania.
Emmanuel Masonga, an opposition party official, was also arrested with them but
released the same day with orders to report to Mikumi Police Station on 14
August 2023.
Mwabukusi and Nyagali are
currently being held at the Central Police Station in Mbeya, having been
transferred from Mikumi during the day. According to their lawyer, the two
activists have refused to eat or drink anything since their arrest.
On 11 August, Camilius
Wambura, Tanzania’s Inspector General of Police, told media that critics of the deal will
be apprehended over their “seditious” statements that “call for national
protests” against the port deal, which he said were tantamount to “inciting the
public into overthrowing the government”.
Lawyers of the detained critics told Amnesty International that they have all been denied bail. According to the lawyers, the police chiefs in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya said the three critics will be charged with treason but they have not yet provided any official information about the specific charges. The lawyers are yet to be presented with any formal charges against Slaa, Mwabukusi, Nyagali, while the prosecution has shared no details of the alleged offence.
Human Rights Watch said on
Monday that at least 22 people had been detained or threatened since June for
criticising parliament for approving the port agreement.
Hassan's government has won
praise for rolling back her predecessor's crackdowns on the opposition and
civil rights groups.
But the arrests have raised
questions over her government's human rights record.
Chief government spokesperson
Gerson Msigwa denied accusations of silencing opposition voices.
Under Tanzania’s Penal Code,
treason carries a mandatory death penalty. Treason is also an unbailable
offence under section 148 of the Criminal Procedures Act.
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