Tanzania

MISA notes that Tanzania has a progressive and functioning media council that could have been engaged by the state in order to seek redress. That the charges are based on the Newspaper Act speaks to the need for continuous review and tangible reform of legislation that governs media operations in the country.

Sixteen human rights activists were detained in Dar es Salaam on allegations of illegal assembly and breach of peace.

The “RAI” newspaper and columnist Prince Bagenda have been fined approximately US$9,000 in total.

ARTICLE 19’s submission highlights the restrictive legislation regarding the media and freedom of expression; the lack of comprehensive access to information legislation; frequent attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and media workers.

The Tanzanian government has threatened to deregister the “Mwananchi” and “MwanaHalisi” newspapers for publishing materials with the intention of inciting chaos.

The government has shut down the “Leo Tena” newspaper and suspended publication of the “Kulikoni” newspaper for 90 days.

Unidentified individuals broke into journalist Fredrick Katulanda’s home, attacked him and demanded that he hand over a document he had received from a source.

Police in the Singida region interrogated freelance journalist Jumbe Ismailly for allegedly defaming Regional Commissioner Parseko Kone.

After suffering a government ban for three months for allegedly tarnishing the name of the head of state and personal attacks that left its editor, Saed Kubenea, almost blind, the “Mwanahalisi” newspaper has now challenged the constitutionality of the Newspapers Act.

The High Court of Tanzania has ordered the weekly newspaper “Mwanahalisi”, as well as two printing companies to pay a sum of 3 billion Tanzania shilling

(MISA/IFEX) – On 13 February 2009, the Tanzanian minister of information, sports and culture ordered three newspapers to provide reasons why they published what he calls “defamatory” news reports. The newspapers in question are “Taifa Letu”, “Sema Usikize” and “Taifa Tanzania”. The minister accused the three newspapers of writing defamatory reports against three prominent figures, […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The Africa Press Agency reports that journalists from various media houses have demonstrated their displeasure at the suppression of press freedom in Tanzania during a protest march on 29 October 2008 in Dar es Salaam. Editors and reporters from various media organisations staged the protest against the recent three-month ban imposed on the […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 8 October 2008, Tanzania’s Freedom of Information Bill Coalition Campaign submitted a draft Media Services Bill to the Minister of Information and Culture, Hon. George Mkuchika, at his offices in the capital Dar es Salaam. The draft is part of civil society efforts to advocate for media policy changes in Tanzania. The […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The Tanzanian government has suspended “Mwanahalisi” newspaper for its alleged practice of running stories with the intention of “inciting public hatred” against the president and contributing to misunderstanding within the president’s family. According to a 13 October 2008 statement read by the Minister of Information, Sports and Culture, Captain George Mkuchika, the government […]

(WAN/IFEX) – The following is an excerpt from the 31 July 2008 RAP 21 Newsletter: Attacks Continue Against Radical Newspaper in Tanzania For more than a year the radical weekly “MwanaHALISI” has been subject to government harassment and violence, belying the country’s reputation for having liberal press policies compared to its neighbouring African countries. Over […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders condemns raids by the police on “Mwanahalisi”, a weekly based in Dar es Salaam, and the home of its editor, Saeed Kubenea, on 18 July 2008. The head of the criminal investigation department said the raids came in response to a complaint by the National Bank of Commerce about the […]