On 29 October, widespread protests erupted in Tanzania against the re-election of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, quickly turning violent and resulting in multiple deaths. UN human rights chief Volker Türk reported harrowing accounts of families desperately searching for missing relatives, visiting police stations and hospitals in hopes of locating them. Further reports indicate that security forces may have transported the bodies of some victims to undisclosed locations, raising concerns about potential attempts to conceal evidence.
Mr. Türk called for thorough investigations into the killings and other human rights violations, urging Tanzanian authorities to disclose the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons and return the bodies of those killed to their families for dignified burials. Due to a volatile security situation and an internet shutdown following the election, the UN has not been able to verify exact casualty figures.
In the aftermath of the protests, the main opposition party, Chadema, reported that several senior opposition leaders who had been detained were released, with four bailed on Monday. President Hassan was declared the winner of the election with 98 per cent of the vote.
According to OHCHR, over 150 people have been arrested since polling day, including children, with many allegedly charged with treason. Mr. Türk called for the unconditional release of all opposition figures detained before the election and all others arbitrarily detained since. He emphasized that all detainees must be afforded full due process rights guaranteed under international human rights law.
