Embassies demand answers from Samia Suluhu Hassan — ‘Release bodies, free political prisoners now’
A coalition of European and Western diplomatic missions — including those of the United Kingdom and Canada — has issued a blunt warning to the government in Dar es Salaam. In a joint statement, the 17-member delegation demanded that all bodies of those killed during post-election protests be handed over immediately to their families. They also called for the release of all political detainees and insisted that any remaining prisoners be given full access to legal representation and medical care.
The embassies described verified reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and the suspected concealment of dead bodies by security forces — serious violations that demand independent, transparent investigation. They warned that failure to act would irrevocably damage Tanzania’s international credibility.
Estimates of the post-election death toll in Tanzania vary sharply. CHADEMA claims around 700 deaths, while some rights groups allege 1,000–3,000. The government has not released figures, and the UN has only confirmed at least 10 fatalities so far.
More than 200 people have been charged with treason, with over 240 arrests linked to the unrest. The exact number jailed remains unclear amid limited official transparency.