Government accused of ‘weaponising' the law

Tanzanian President John Magufuli's Government has ‘weaponised’ the law as part of a crackdown ahead of elections on 28 October, Amnesty International has noted with the launch of a new report, Lawfare – Repression by Law Ahead of Tanzania's General Elections. The report – based on interviews and reviews of videos, photographs, official statements, court documents and media reports – tracks the crackdown on opposition politicians, media freedom and civil society organsiations in the run-up to the election. It said opposition candidates have been arrested on spurious charges that strip them of their right to freedom of assembly, association and movement. Deprose Muchena, Amnesty's director for East and Southern Africa, said ‘Tanzania has weaponised the law to the point that no one really knows when they are on the right or wrong side of it’. He added that the law was used to systemically and deliberately clamp down on inalienable human rights.