Tanzania

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Tanzania
166 articles

Tanzanian reporter Erick Kabendera pays his way to freedom

Reporters Without Borders says the hefty fine paid by Erick Kabendera to secure his release is indicative of the deteriorating press freedom environment in Tanzania.

Censorship in Tanzania: Repressive laws continue to silence dissent

Rights groups publish reports highlighting President John Magufuli’s government and its adoption of repressive laws that stifle independent journalism, and severely restrict the activities of civil society and political opposition.

Fined: 3 online TV channels critical of Tanzanian president

The media crackdown in Tanzania continues escalating, with journalist Erick Kabendera remaining in detention and heavy fines for 3 online tv channels.

Tanzania sinking further into authoritarianism with proposed amendments to 8 laws

Tanzania is fast tracking the Written Laws Bill which seeks to make changes to eight existing acts that will further restrict access to Information, data protection and artistic free expression.

UNHRC requested to address crackdown on adversaries by Tanzanian authorities

Together with 37 other NGOs, CPJ has asked observer and member states of the UN Human Rights Council to tackle the crackdown on human rights defenders, the media and opposition members by Tanzanian authorities.

Tanzanian troops stand at rest as a plane comes in a for a landing at Julius Nyerer International Airport in Dar es Salaam, 16 February 2008, JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

AFEX condemns detention and deportation of CIPESA executive director

Tanzanian authorities prevented Dr. Wairagala Wakabi, executive director of CIPESA, from attending the commemoration of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders’ Day when they arrested him upon arrival in the country and deported him back to Uganda several hours later.

A newspaper vendor sorts the morning papers as they arrive by ferry from the mainland in Stone Town, Zanzibar, 2 November 2015, Daniel Hayduk/AFP/Getty Images

Tanzania’s media act goes against grain of regional treaty

The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) ruled that multiple sections of Tanzania’s 2016 Media Services Act, including those on sedition, criminal defamation, and false news publication, restrict press freedom and freedom of expression, and breach the constitutive treaty of the East African Community.

A poster for an opposition party presidential candidate is taped to a television set, in Stone Town, Tanzania, 1 November 2015, Daniel Hayduk/AFP/Getty Images

Media Ownership Monitoring Map shows media ownership trends

The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have developed a media ownership monitoring (MOM) map showing who owns and ultimately controls Tanzania’s mass media.

View of central Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Daniel Hayduk/AFP/Getty Images

Detained CPJ staffers released in Tanzania

Officers who identified themselves as working with the Tanzanian immigration authority detained CPJ staffers Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo for several hours on 7 November in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. They were released midday on 8 November.

Mawasiliano Towers, where the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority has its offices, Paul Scott [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Tanzania: TV stations fined following reports on alleged human rights abuses

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority’s decision to fine 5 TV stations came after the stations had covered a report by an NGO alleging that abuses were committed by security personnel during the country’s November 26 ward by-election.

A man reads a copy of the local English-language daily "The Citizen", in Arusha, northern Tanzania, 23 March 2017, STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

Azori Gwanda disappearance “may discourage” investigative journalists

There is growing concern among NGOs in Tanzania at the disappearance of journalist Azori Gwanda, who has been missing since 21 November 2017.

Miners go down a pit in Manyara region, Tanzania, 31 March 2008; "Mawio" had reported on a government investigation into allegations of misconduct in the mining sector , REUTERS/Antony Njuguna

Tanzania imposes 2-year publishing ban on privately-owned “Mawio” newspaper

Tanzania’s Information, Sports and Culture minister imposed a 24-month ban on “Mawio”‘s print editions and any articles posted online over articles that mentioned two retired presidents in reports on an investigation into misconduct.

Tanzania's President John Magufuli leaves after inspecting a guard of honour during his official visit to Nairobi, Kenya, 31 October 2016, REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

Tanzanian President John Magufuli’s aside on “limits” of press freedom raises fears

Tanzanian President John Magufuli’s ominous warning to journalists that press freedom has “limits” following a sequence of events that led to the firing of his information minister has raised new concerns about authoritarianism in the east African republic.

Kevin Metcalf /CJFE

Journalists persecuted for reporting on Barrick Gold

A subsidiary of Canada’s Barrick Gold is once again embroiled in a free expression controversy. This time over threats to journalists who reported on mining issues.

Link to: Popular Tanzanian website’s office raided, staff arrested and detained

Popular Tanzanian website’s office raided, staff arrested and detained

The arrest on Tuesday of Maxence Melo, founder and editor of Jamii Forum, the popular Tanzanian website, has raised serious concerns among the human rights community in the region.

Tanzanian president John Pombe Magufuli salutes members of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi Party (CCM) in Dar es Salaam, 30 October 2015, REUTERS/Emmanuel Herman

Social media users arraigned for “insulting” Tanzanian president

On 14 September 2016, five Internet users were arraigned before a Tanzanian Court on charges of insulting President John Magufuli on social media.