Latest news with #Lissu
AFP
21-07-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Doctored image falsely linked to Tanzanian treason case
Tanzania's opposition leader Tundu Lissu is facing treason charges just months before scheduled general elections in October. During Lissu's July 1, 2025, trial, social media users shared a photo purportedly showing President Samia Suluhu Hassan following the televised court proceedings. But this is false; the image is an altered version of a photo of Hassan watching the presentation of the national budget in 2024. 'President Samia and other leaders following the progress of the 'Treason' case facing Chadema Chairman, Tundu Lissu,' reads an Instagram post published on July 1, 2025. 'Among other things, Lissu has provided a legal class to the Attorneys of the Republic by citing articles showing how they violated his fundamental rights and demanding that the case be dismissed, opposing the postponement. All people following this case continue to receive lessons from the learned Advocate Tundu Lissu,' the post adds. Image Screenshot of the altered post, taken on July 16, 2025 Similar claims were shared on X here and here. The image shows Hassan and a group of people in a stately room focused on a television screen purportedly showing Lissu in court. Lissu, a lawyer and chairperson of Tanzania's main opposition party Chadema, was arrested in April 2025 and charged with treason (archived here). His case was adjourned to July 30, 2025, despite the prosecution telling the court at the beginning of the month that investigations were completed, paving the way for the matter to be transferred to the high court (archived here). Chadema has been disqualified from the general election, scheduled for October, after demanding electoral reforms (archived here). Lissu, who has in the past had several brushes with the law, was accused of inciting the public to obstruct the 2025 polls during a political rally (archived here and here). Human rights organisations have since called for his unconditional release, amid accusations of Hassan's government stifling political opponents (archived here and here). However, the image purportedly showing Hassan watching Lissu's recent trial is digitally manipulated. Doctored image AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches and found that not only is the image altered, but the original predates the start of Lissu's trial. The original image was published on June 13, 2024, on the official Facebook page of the presidential communications directorate, State House, Tanzania (archived here). 'The President of the United Republic of Tanzania Hon. Samia Suluhu Hassan with her aides while following the 2024/25 Government Budget Session via television at her home in Chamwino, Dodoma Region,' reads the post. 'The speech was being read in parliament by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba on June 13, 2024,' the post adds. A comparison shows that the visuals on the television were replaced with a shot from Tanzanian broadcaster ITV's coverage of the trial (archived here). Image Screenshots comparing the altered image (left) and the original photo published by State House Tanzania The original photo, alongside others, was also published by the Tanzanian parliament X account on the same day (archived here). Rais wa Tanzania, Mhe. Samia Suluhu Hassan akiwa pamoja na Wasaidizi wake wakati akifuatilia Bunge la Bajeti Kuu ya Serikali ya mwaka 2024/25 kwa njia ya runinga nyumbani kwake Chamwino Mkoani Dodoma. Hotuba hiyo ilikuwa ikisomwa bungeni na Waziri wa Fedha, Dkt. Mwigulu Nchemba — Bunge la Tanzania (@bunge_tz) June 13, 2024 The image was also featured in local news reports at the time (archived here and here).
Daily Maverick
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Donors urged to suspend aid to Tanzanian government after ‘poisoning attempt' on detained opposition leader
Tundu Lissu, a lawyer and human rights advocate who survived a previous assassination attempt in 2017 when he was shot 16 times, was arrested in April 2025 and remains detained on 'politically motivated charges of treason'. Lawyers for Tanzania's imprisoned opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, have called on donor countries to suspend aid to the country's government because of 'credible reports' of an attempt to poison Lissu while in custody. The law firm Amsterdam & Partners LLP, international counsel for Chadema — the main opposition party, which Lissu leads — said it was alarmed by the reports of the attempted poisoning. 'The attempt, first brought to light by Chadema party officials, marks a chilling escalation in the systematic persecution of political opposition figures under the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan,' said the firm. Robert Amsterdam, founder and managing partner of the firm, said, 'The latest attack on my client is not an isolated act, but part of a broader campaign to silence and destroy the political opposition in Tanzania. 'From fabricated treason charges, unlawful detention and denial of legal access, to the targeting of opposition supporters and foreign activists, the Tanzanian government has crossed every red line of democratic legitimacy. 'Chadema has previously warned of deliberate repression, with numerous members abducted, detained, or harassed in recent months. The poisoning attempt is just the latest in a pattern of politically motivated abuses. 'In light of these developments, Amsterdam & Partners LLP is calling on all donor states and institutions providing budgetary support to the Tanzanian government to immediately suspend such aid pending independent investigations and demonstrable reform. 'President Hassan should hang her head in shame. We will be actively engaging with donor governments in the coming days to urge a suspension of support. No government should subsidise state violence against democratic opposition.' Lissu, a lawyer and human rights advocate who survived a previous assassination attempt in 2017 when he was shot 16 times, was arrested in April 2025 and remains detained on what Amsterdam called 'politically motivated charges of treason'. The firm said it had filed an application with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in response to Lissu's arrest and detention. 'The apparent poisoning attempt adds a new and deeply disturbing dimension to his detention,' it said. Lissu was arrested and charged with treason — which can carry the death penalty — for calling on Tanzanians to disrupt the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October, because, he said, they would not be free and fair. Chadema has been disqualified from the polls for demanding changes such as an independent electoral commission to ensure a fairer contest. Hassan's party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, has been in power since the country's independence from British rule in 1961. Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm based in Washington, DC, and London, with a focus on political advocacy and human rights. DM
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tanzanian politician's lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary
By Aaron Ross NAIROBI (Reuters) -Lawyers for Tanzania's jailed opposition leader Tundu Lissu filed a complaint on Friday to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in a bid to ramp up international pressure for his release. Lissu, chairman of Tanzania's main opposition party and runner-up in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested last month and charged with treason, a capital offence, over comments he is alleged to have made calling on supporters to prevent national elections in October from going ahead. Tanzania's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While President Samia Suluhu Hassan has won plaudits for easing political repression, she has faced questions about unexplained abductions of government critics in recent months. Hassan, who will stand for re-election in October, has said her government respects human rights and ordered an investigation into the reported abductions. Lissu's international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, said the confidential complaint to the U.N. working group, which issues opinions but has no enforcement power, was part of a wider pressure campaign. The European Parliament this month adopted a resolution denouncing Lissu's arrest as politically motivated, and Amsterdam said he would petition the U.S. State Department to impose sanctions. "Right down to prosecutors, judges, police - all the people that are involved in this false show trial had better be aware that they should protect their U.S. assets," Amsterdam told Reuters. In response to the European Parliament resolution, Tanzania's foreign ministry said outside criticisms about the case were based on "incomplete or partisan information". The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lissu, who was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack for which no one has ever been charged, will appear in court on Monday. Before he appeared in court last week, authorities detained a Kenyan and a Ugandan rights activist who had come to attend the hearing. They were abandoned several days later near the borders of their home countries, and the Kenyan activist, Boniface Mwangi, said both were badly tortured while in custody. Tanzanian officials have not responded to requests for comment about the allegation. Hassan has warned outsiders against "invading and interfering in our affairs".
Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Tanzanian politician's lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary
Tanzanian opposition leader and former presidential candidate of CHADEMA party Tundu Lissu waves to his supporters as he arrives at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania May 19, 2025. REUTERS/Emmanuel Herman/File Photo NAIROBI - Lawyers for Tanzania's jailed opposition leader Tundu Lissu filed a complaint on Friday to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in a bid to ramp up international pressure for his release. Lissu, chairman of Tanzania's main opposition party and runner-up in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested last month and charged with treason, a capital offence, over comments he is alleged to have made calling on supporters to prevent national elections in October from going ahead. Tanzania's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While President Samia Suluhu Hassan has won plaudits for easing political repression, she has faced questions about unexplained abductions of government critics in recent months. Hassan, who will stand for re-election in October, has said her government respects human rights and ordered an investigation into the reported abductions. Lissu's international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, said the confidential complaint to the U.N. working group, which issues opinions but has no enforcement power, was part of a wider pressure campaign. The European Parliament this month adopted a resolution denouncing Lissu's arrest as politically motivated, and Amsterdam said he would petition the U.S. State Department to impose sanctions. "Right down to prosecutors, judges, police - all the people that are involved in this false show trial had better be aware that they should protect their U.S. assets," Amsterdam told Reuters. In response to the European Parliament resolution, Tanzania's foreign ministry said outside criticisms about the case were based on "incomplete or partisan information". The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lissu, who was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack for which no one has ever been charged, will appear in court on Monday. Before he appeared in court last week, authorities detained a Kenyan and a Ugandan rights activist who had come to attend the hearing. They were abandoned several days later near the borders of their home countries, and the Kenyan activist, Boniface Mwangi, said both were badly tortured while in custody. Tanzanian officials have not responded to requests for comment about the allegation. Hassan has warned outsiders against "invading and interfering in our affairs". REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Tanzanian politician's lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary
Tanzanian opposition leader and former presidential candidate of CHADEMA party Tundu Lissu waves to his supporters as he arrives at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania May 19, 2025. REUTERS/Emmanuel Herman/File Photo NAIROBI (Reuters) -Lawyers for Tanzania's jailed opposition leader Tundu Lissu filed a complaint on Friday to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in a bid to ramp up international pressure for his release. Lissu, chairman of Tanzania's main opposition party and runner-up in the 2020 presidential election, was arrested last month and charged with treason, a capital offence, over comments he is alleged to have made calling on supporters to prevent national elections in October from going ahead. Tanzania's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While President Samia Suluhu Hassan has won plaudits for easing political repression, she has faced questions about unexplained abductions of government critics in recent months. Hassan, who will stand for re-election in October, has said her government respects human rights and ordered an investigation into the reported abductions. Lissu's international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, said the confidential complaint to the U.N. working group, which issues opinions but has no enforcement power, was part of a wider pressure campaign. The European Parliament this month adopted a resolution denouncing Lissu's arrest as politically motivated, and Amsterdam said he would petition the U.S. State Department to impose sanctions. "Right down to prosecutors, judges, police - all the people that are involved in this false show trial had better be aware that they should protect their U.S. assets," Amsterdam told Reuters. In response to the European Parliament resolution, Tanzania's foreign ministry said outside criticisms about the case were based on "incomplete or partisan information". The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lissu, who was shot 16 times in a 2017 attack for which no one has ever been charged, will appear in court on Monday. Before he appeared in court last week, authorities detained a Kenyan and a Ugandan rights activist who had come to attend the hearing. They were abandoned several days later near the borders of their home countries, and the Kenyan activist, Boniface Mwangi, said both were badly tortured while in custody. Tanzanian officials have not responded to requests for comment about the allegation. Hassan has warned outsiders against "invading and interfering in our affairs". (Reporting by Aaron Ross; editing by Giles Elgood)
