• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • advertise with DC
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

Latest Arrests Spawn Climate of Fear for Activists, Journalists in Tanzania

by DC Editors - December 26, 2019

FacebookTweet1LinkedInPinShare1
Latest Arrests Spawn Climate of Fear for Activists, Journalists in Tanzania
Flag of Tanzania

From VOA:

Rights groups say Tanzania’s government has reduced the democratic space in the country by arresting critics and shutting down news outlets. Activists say two incidents in the past week have heightened the climate of fear.

Tanzanian activist and journalist Bollen Ngeti was freed Tuesday, a day after he was abducted in Dar es Salaam. He told a local media house his kidnappers identified themselves as security officials, who questioned him about a wide range of issues, most of them political.

Meanwhile, human rights activist Tito Magoti was arraigned in court Tuesday, charged with using a computer program to steal about $7,500, or 17 million shillings, from various individuals.

Anne Henga, executive director of the Legal and Human Rights Center in Tanzania, said the charges are fabricated.

“They alleged that he has made an app with his colleague which assisted them to make the 17 million [shillings],” she said. “Tito is not an IT expert, he cannot do that. What we know, Tito is very active on social media. He has been tweeting a lot of things challenging what has been happening especially on the freedom of expression.”

Rights groups have accused Tanzania’s President John Magufuli of creating a hostile environment for any opposing voices.

In October, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, in two separate reports, said the government’s repression of human rights defenders, the media and opposition parties had intensified since 2015.

Jones Sendodo of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders coalition said the situation for activists and journalists is becoming worse.

“We have been the voice of the voiceless, and when the voice of the voiceless is being targeted, now that creates a lot of fear because initially we did not receive any kind of threats, but these days they are targeting us,” said Sendodo. “They know once any violation happens, Human Rights Defenders coalition is going to be the first organization to air that violation out. We are the target now so the operating environment is not like we used to operate before, basically we are in fear.”

Muthoki Mumo is the sub-Saharan African representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists. She says Tanzanian authorities have greatly narrowed the space in which journalists can operate.

“This has happened in a number of ways. We have seen the enactment or implementation of restrictive legislation for example,” she said. “The online content regulations that were put into place last year that make it very expensive to be a blogger. We have seen the use of arrests and detentions. In some cases some of these are brief.”

But one Tanzanian journalist critical of the president, Eric Kabendera, has been imprisoned since July, charged with economic crimes for which he cannot get bail.

Meanwhile, freelance journalist Azory Gwanda has not been seen since November 2017.

Mumo says the public wants answers.

“Where is Azory? And his family needs this, his colleagues need this,” she said. “The Tanzanian journalistic community needs this, because for as long as Azory is missing, there is always a question of ‘Could this happen to me?’ and also the additional question of ‘If something happens to me, is the government willing to investigate and provide answers to my family and colleagues?'”

Earlier this year Tanzania’s foreign minister said Gwanda had died but later retracted that statement.

FacebookTweet1LinkedInPinShare1

Filed Under: International Democracy Tagged With: Africa, Dictatorships, Journalism and Free Speech, Tanzania

About DC Editors

We are your source for news on the all important effort to establish and strengthen democracy across the globe. Our international team with dozens of independent authors are your gateway into the raging struggle for free and fair elections on every continent with a focus on election reform in the United States. See our Facebook Page and also follow us on Twitter @demchron.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | ALL NEWS | WORLD | Latest Arrests Spawn Climate of Fear for Activists, Journalists in Tanzania

Primary Sidebar

Advertise button

In California politics, you must find your inner terminator

By Joe Mathews March 23, 2023

To protect ballot initiatives from continuous opposition, one needs robust endurance and tenacity akin to Schwarzenegger’s.

Harnessing The Power Of Juries

By Jenna Spinelle March 23, 2023

Juries are a democratic institution. They provide an important site for democratic action by citizens and their use should be revived.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

Quality Education and Prioritizing Children: Fighting GOP Exploitation

By Jack Jones March 14, 2023

The GOP has turned its back on the educational needs of America’s youth. We need to invest in our children and protect their futures.

Finding the “We” in Civic Engagement

By Jenna Spinelle March 4, 2023

Collective action problems arise for people who want to get things done. Forming functional groups is key to effective civic engagement.

Taking Cues From The American Oligarchy

By Jack Jones February 20, 2023

The more the GOP has become complete obedience to their oligarch masters, the more they are driving the right winged minded fringe.

How california made a polish poet great

By Joe Mathews February 8, 2023

Exiled to Berkeley, Czesław Miłosz explored the margins of alienation, the horrors of his past, and visions of the future.

What Will It Take To Make Democracy More Representative?

By Jenna Spinelle February 8, 2023

Multiple dimensions of identity simultaneously shape pathways to candidacy and representation for all groups seeking a seat.

Courts Off The Deep End, Again

By Andrew Straw February 1, 2023

Closing the courts, shutting down dissent, and violating the rights of whistleblowers. These are not the actions of an open, free society.

The Christian Evangelical Church

By Jack Jones January 22, 2023

I am not against Big Business having a voice, just not all the voices, and especially not an impersonator pretending to speak for God.

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

1800s Barbershop Converted To Voting Rights Museum

1800s Barbershop Converted To Voting Rights Museum

March 16, 2023

El Paso’s Project XV Museum, Texas’ first voting rights museum, has been built over the last year by David Strother, a barbershop owner.

Russian Wagner Boss Acknowledges Comparison With Rasputin

Russian Wagner Boss Acknowledges Comparison With Rasputin

January 30, 2023

Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin responded to comparisons [with]…Rasputin who treated the son of the last tsar for haemophilia.

ChatGPT Is Changing Education, AI Experts Say

ChatGPT Is Changing Education, AI Experts Say

January 30, 2023

Newly-launched AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT is changing the internet landscape. It presents several opportunities, including in education.

Girl Scouts Earn Democracy Badge At Workshop In Salina

Girl Scouts Earn Democracy Badge At Workshop In Salina

January 26, 2023

The workshop assisted Girl Scouts in grades K–10 in earning their Democracy Badge through learning activities on democracy.

Study: Media Can Reduce Polarization By Telling Personal Stories

Study: Media Can Reduce Polarization By Telling Personal Stories

January 26, 2023

Sharing personal experiences and pairing them with facts reduces political dehumanization and increases political tolerance.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy