Amnesty condemns 4-year jail sentence for Tanzania opposition leader Lissu

What the report says

Amnesty International has urged Tanzanian authorities to overturn the conviction and four-year prison sentence handed to opposition leader Tundu Lissu, saying the case was marred by serious fair-trial concerns. The comments were reported by The Independent Uganda, which said Lissu, chair of the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), was convicted of incitement and sentenced by the High Court in Dar es Salaam after being cleared of treason.

According to the report, Amnesty said Lissu was subjected to a deeply flawed process that began with his arrest in April 2025 after a political rally in Mbinga, in southwestern Tanzania. He was later transferred to Dar es Salaam and charged over social media posts in which he called for a boycott of the October 2025 elections because of concerns about possible malpractice. The prosecution argued that he was trying to disrupt the vote through calls for electoral reform.

Amnesty also raised concerns about his treatment in detention, including restricted access to lawyers, which it said left him unable to defend himself properly. The organisation further alleged that live broadcasts of the trial were cut and that international observers were detained and mistreated. It said Lissu was held for 577 days before sentencing and urged the government to release him, end the use of treason and related laws against critics, and respect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. More broadly, the case reflects ongoing concern from rights groups about the use of security laws against opponents in Tanzania.