Tanzania Charges Hundreds With Treason After Deadly Election Protests

Tanzania, 7 November 2025 - Tanzania’s government has charged almost 100 people with treason following last week’s violent protests over the disputed general election.

The BBC citing court papers filed in Dar es Salaam reports that at least 240 people are accused of trying to “obstruct the 2025 general election and intimidate the government.”

The charges claim they caused damage to public property during the unrest that swept through major cities after President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared winner.

Human rights groups and the opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) say the protests turned deadly after police and soldiers opened fire on demonstrators.

They claim more than 1,000 people were killed, while hundreds were injured or arrested. The government has denied those figures but has not given its own death toll.

The protests erupted after two main opposition candidates were blocked from running, including Chadema leader Tundu Lissu, who has been in jail since April facing his own treason case.

The other key opposition leader, Luhaga Mpina of ACT-Wazalendo, was disqualified on what critics say were “political technicalities.”

The unrest has drawn international condemnation. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party in South Africa called the crackdown a “violent attack on democracy.”

EFF leader Julius Malema urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to hold President Hassan’s government accountable for what he called “electoral manipulation and state-sponsored violence.”

The internet shutdown and tight security have made it difficult for journalists to verify the real number of casualties.

Families of the missing say they have been searching hospitals and police stations for loved ones since the protests began.

Despite widespread calls for calm, police have maintained a heavy presence in Dar es Salaam and other towns. The government says it will continue prosecuting those involved in what it calls “acts of terrorism aimed at destabilising the country.”

However, opposition leaders and civil rights groups insist that the charges are meant to silence dissent and punish citizens for demanding fair elections.