What changed

B100260/2025

P10_TA(2025)0095

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the arrestArrest and risk of execution of Tundu Lissu, Chair of Chadema, the main opposition party in Tanzania

(2025/2690(RSP))

PE772.567

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Tanzania

European Parliament resolution of 8 May 2025 on the arrest and risk of execution of Tundu Lissu, Chair of Chadema, the main opposition party in Tanzania (2025/2690(RSP))

– having regard to RuleRules 150150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas on 9 April 2025, Tanzanian police arrested Tundu Lissu, chairpersonleader of theChadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema;party, whereaswas duringarrested theon arrest,9 policeApril used2025 excessivein forceMbinga, andfollowing violencea topeaceful disperserally theadvocating surroundingelectoral supporters;reforms;

B. whereas following the arrest, police charged Lissu with three offences, including the capital offence of treason, in relation to social media posts calling to boycott the forthcoming elections as part the demand for electoral reforms; whereas human rights organisations consider these charges fabricated and the trial politically motivated;

B. whereas Lissu narrowly survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and was forced into exile, only to face renewed persecution upon his return to Tanzania;

C. whereas Amnesty International documented that on 24 April 2025 police beat up and arrested dozens of people who tried to access the court of Lissu’s case hearing, reportedly leading to the death of one person;

C. whereas on 10 April 2025, Lissu was charged with treason, along with three offences of publication of false information under cybercrime laws; whereas treason in Tanzania carries a potential death sentence; whereas the EU is unequivocally opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances;

D. whereas Tanzania is slated to have parliamentary elections in October 2025; whereas the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi has retained power for over 60 years;

D. whereas shortly after Lissu’s arrest, Chadema was disqualified from the October 2025 presidential and parliamentary elections, based on the party’s refusal to sign an electoral code of conduct;

E. whereas Tanzania’s ranking in Freedom Houses’ Freedom index was downgraded in 2025 from “partly free” to “not free”; whereas in 2024 UN human rights experts have called on Tanzania to end the ongoing and escalating pattern of human rights violations against opposition political party members, civil society organizations, journalists, Indigenous Peoples and human rights defenders;

E. whereas ahead of the November 2024 local elections, Tanzania’s Government impeded opposition meetings, arbitrarily arrested hundreds of opposition supporters, imposed restrictions on social media access and banned independent media; whereas thousands of opposition candidates were disqualified from participating; whereas at least four government critics were forcibly disappeared and one Chadema official was abducted and brutally killed;

1. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Tundu Lissu and urges the Tanzanian government to end all arbitrary arrests and attacks against opposition leaders and government critics ahead of the October 2025 general elections;

F. whereas Tanzania’s ranking in Freedom House’s freedom report was downgraded in 2025 to ‘not free’;

2. Calls for a thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into the recent disappearances of government critics and opposition supporters as well as any other allegations of police abuse and misconduct, to ensure that those responsible are to be brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty;

1. Condemns the arrest of Lissu and expresses grave concern over the charges against him, which appear to be politically motivated and carry the risk of capital punishment; calls on the Tanzanian Government to immediately and unconditionally release him, ensuring his safety and his right to a fair trial and legal representation;

3. Expresses its concerns regarding human rights violations by law enforcement officials, including frequent allegations of unlawful use of force and other human rights violations in the policing of political assemblies; stresses the universality of the freedom of assembly and expression, and urges the Tanzanian authorities to cease the crackdown on peaceful gatherings and the repression of non-governmental organizations; condemns attacks against journalists and human rights defenders in the country and call for an end to any state-sponsored violence against them;

2. Urges the Tanzanian authorities to end the escalating crackdown, arbitrary arrests, violence, attacks and harassment against opposition members, human rights defenders, indigenous peoples, LGBTIQ+ activists, journalists and civil society organisations, and to independently investigate police abuses and enforced disappearances, to uphold the rule of law, freedom of expression, press, media and association, and judicial independence, to bring Tanzania’s cybercrime and media laws in line with international human rights law, to respect the rights of political parties and to ensure free and fair elections;

4. Urges Tanzania to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty and commuting all death sentences;

3. Calls on the Tanzanian authorities to reinstate Chadema’s full participation in the October 2025 elections and to engage with all political parties in transparent and inclusive dialogue on electoral reform, in consultation with civil society groups and other stakeholders;

5.4. Calls onfor the EU and its Member States to step upcritically engagementengage with the Tanzanian authorities onregarding Lissu’s case and on the other urgent human rights concernsto listedclosely above,monitor includingthe intrial; theurges contextthem ofto furtherconsider EUappropriate investmentsmeasures inif the country;human callsrights onsituation EUcontinues andto Memberdeteriorate; States’urges delegationsTanzania to ensure trial observation inabolish the case ofdeath Lissupenalty and allcommute othersall arbitrarilydeath detained;sentences;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President and Parliament of Tanzania.

5. Reiterates the need for the EU to ensure that its development cooperation with Tanzania, including the Global Gateway initiative, is consistent with the promotion of human rights, freedom of expression and fair trial standards;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of Tanzania, the African Union and the VP/HR.