Tanzania

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.

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

Tanzania’s information minister told reporters that Mawio newspaper had been barred from publishing for allegedly inciting violence in articles. He cited a report in which he said the paper declared the opposition candidate the winner in presidential elections in Zanzibar.

Tanzanian lawmakers have withdrawn the Access to Information Act and the Media Services Act from discussion during the current parliamentary session.

The East African was removed from newsstands in Tanzania on 21 January 2015. The paper was ordered to stop publishing because it been circulating without registration, contrary to section 6 of the Newspaper Act 1976.

Tanzanian media houses have resolved to dissociate themselves from any government activity performed by the Minister of Information until further notice. The decision was made following the government’s failure to respond to the media fraternity’s appeal to lift the ban on three major newspapers.

Tanzania’s Information Services Director said that newspapers Mwananchi and Mtanzania were banned because they carried articles which were likely to force citizens to mistrust their government.

ARTICLE 19 is concerned that the recent transition to digital broadcasting in Tanzania did not take into account the needs of viewers and broadcasters, and as a result many people are no longer able to watch TV.

Absalom Kibanda is in hospital for serious injuries, following an attack at the gate of his home. It is thought that the attack is related to Kibanda’s work as a journalist.

Erick Kabendera has been harassed ever since he testified for the defence in a libel suit that Tanzanian businessman and Guardian owner Reginald Mengi brought against British blogger Sarah Hermitage.

The Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition has called for an end to the ban of a newspaper that began nearly six months ago. MwanaHalisi was banned under the Newspaper Act of 1976, which has been previously used to either suspend or shut down newspapers deemed critical of the government.

Issa Ngumba, a special correspondent for Radio Kwizera in the Kigoma region, was found dead on Tuesday, 8 January 2013, three days after he went missing under mysterious circumstances.

Tanzanian police may be responsible for the eventual death of journalist Daudi Mwangosi, who died on 2 September 2012 after a confrontation with members of the Field Force Unit (FFU), a quasi-military wing of the police force.

Tanzanian journalist Daudi Mwangosi died during a clash between police forces and supporters of Tanzania’s largest political opposition party.

Local journalists suspect the ban may be related to a series of articles in the paper linking authorities to the kidnap and torture in late June of a physician who had led a doctor’s strike.

MISA expresses its sincere appreciation to the president’s administration in support of media freedom and promoting journalists.