Tanzania accuses dozens of treason over election protests
Prosecutors in Tanzania have charged dozens of individuals with treason following a wave of deadly protests triggered by a disputed election.
At least 76 people were accused of intending to obstruct the October 29 election, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
at least 145 people were charged with treason for alleged involvement in the protests, citing court documents.
In addition to treason, the suspects also face criminal conspiracy charges, The AP reported.
Specific charges were only outlined against one person, a businesswoman who prosecutors allege encouraged protesters to buy tear-gas masks from her business during the demonstrations.
Human rights activists and the main opposition party Chadema said security forces killed more than 1,000 people during the protests. The government rejects the figure, but has not offered its own death toll.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was sworn in on Monday, won with almost 98 percent of the vote, in an election that the African Union (AU) said failed to adhere to democratic standards.
The AU’s monitoring arm cited ballot stuffing, the government-imposed internet blackout, allegations of excessive military force and politically motivated abductions as actions “compromising election integrity”.
The two leading opposition candidates were controversially barred from competing in the vote, with the Chadema leader Tundu Lissu still in prison on treason charges that were brought in April.
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