Demands for post-poll justice as Tanzania accused of weaponising counterterrorism laws

What the report says

Families affected by Tanzania’s post-election violence are calling for justice, answers and financial support a year after the disputed vote, according to BBC Africa. Relatives of people killed or injured in the unrest say they still face heavy medical costs, grief and uncertainty about what happened to missing family members. The BBC reported from Dar es Salaam and spoke with victims and their families, including a woman whose daughter was shot dead in Arusha and a man who says he cannot afford more treatment after multiple operations on a leg injury.

The report comes as Amnesty International accused the Tanzanian government of using counterterrorism laws to suppress critics and spread fear. Amnesty said it had documented ongoing abuses against opposition supporters, journalists and even some ruling-party critics, and argued that no officials had been held criminally responsible for the force used against protesters. Tanzanian authorities have denied broad rights abuses and say they respect human rights.

The article says a government commission of inquiry previously recorded 518 deaths from the unrest, though its full findings have not been made public. President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the 29 October poll with 98% of the vote, after major opposition figures were excluded. The BBC also cited continuing pressure on opposition leader Tundu Lissu, whose treason case and reported access issues to lawyers have drawn attention. The overall picture, based on the BBC and Amnesty, is of a post-election crackdown that continues to raise questions about accountability, due process and support for victims.