Tanzania Denies Amnesty International's Human Rights Allegations Ahead of 2025 General Election

Amnesty International released a report on October 20, 2025, claiming that Tanzanian authorities had intensified crackdowns on opposition politicians, journalists, civil society groups, and human rights defenders, suppressing civic participation and strengthening their hold on power. The report, titled "Unopposed, Unchecked, Unjust: 'Wave of Terror' Sweeps Tanzania Ahead of 2025 Vote," cited 43 individuals, including victims, witnesses, and civil society members, while verifying cases through multiple independent sources. Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, stated that opposition politicians had faced politically motivated charges and were being denied the right to contest elections. The organization accused the government of enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings, with the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) documenting 83 cases of missing persons as of August 2024.

Key Takeaways:

• Amnesty International accused Tanzania of human rights violations and political repression ahead of the 2025 General Election, citing intensified crackdowns on opposition politicians, journalists, civil society groups, and human rights defenders.
• The report alleged that the government was deliberately using fear to suppress civic participation and strengthen its hold on power, with opposition politicians facing politically motivated charges and being denied the right to contest elections.
• Amnesty International cited reports of enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings, with the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) documenting 83 cases of missing persons as of August 2024.
• The organization called for immediate investigations into all reported incidents and accountability for perpetrators, urging authorities to end the suppression of dissenting voices and release all those detained for political or religious reasons.
• The government denied the allegations, reaffirming Tanzania's strong commitment to protecting and promoting human rights as enshrined in the 1977 Constitution and under international and regional treaties.
• The spokesperson dismissed claims of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and suppression of freedoms as "inconsistent with Tanzania's institutional and legal reality," stating that freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and access to information are constitutionally guaranteed.

Statistics:

• The Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) documented 83 cases of missing persons as of August 2024.
• Amnesty International interviewed 43 individuals, including victims, witnesses, relatives, lawyers, and civil society members, while verifying cases through multiple independent sources.

Sources:

• Amnesty International, "Unopposed, Unchecked, Unjust: 'Wave of Terror' Sweeps Tanzania Ahead of 2025 Vote" (October 20, 2025)
• The Citizen, "Tanzania Denies Amnesty International's Human Rights Allegations Ahead of 2025 General Election" (October 26, 2025)
• Tanzanian Government, Statement by Chief Government Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa (October 26, 2025)