What changed

B100263/2025

B100265/2025

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

(2025/2690(RSP))

 having regard to its previous resolutions on Tanzania;

– having regard to Rules 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas opposition leaderWhereas Tundu Lissu, Chair of CHADEMA, wasthe arrestedopposition onparty 9Chadema Apriland 2025a afterprominent anTanzanian opposition rally and chargedleader, onhas 10been Aprilsubject withto treasonrepeated –threats, aharassment, crimeand punishablepersecution by death underthe Tanzanian law; whereas the chargesauthorities allegedue heto urgedhis thepolitical publicactivities toand rebeloutspoken andcriticism disruptof the upcoming elections;government;

B. whereas Tundu Lissu has been held without bail since 10 April and was initially detained incommunicado with no access to his lawyers or family, in breach of his right to a fair trial;

B. Whereas Tundu Lissu narrowly survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and was forced into exile due to continued threats to his life, only to face renewed persecution upon his return to Tanzania;

C. whereas two senior CHADEMA officials were arrested on 24 April in another example of the crackdown on the opposition; whereas security forces have violently dispersed peaceful rallies of Lissu’s supporters;whereas vocal regime critic Father Charles Kitima was brutally attacked on 30 April;

C. Whereas reports indicate that Tundu Lissu was recently arrested under dubious charges and now faces a credible risk of torture, inhumane treatment, or extrajudicial execution while in custody;

D. whereas Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission disqualified CHADEMA from the 2025 elections after the party refused to sign an election code of conduct; whereas CHADEMA boycotted the signing to demand electoral reforms, including an independent electoral commission;

D. Whereas the Tanzanian police prevented opposition from holding meetings and other political gatherings, subjecting participants and organisers to mass arrest, arbitrary detention and unlawful force and to journalists was denied their right to freedom of expression;

E. whereas these actions against Tundu Lissu and CHADEMA reflect a wider pattern of repression in Tanzania; whereas opposition figures have faced repeated arrests and violence, and there have been alarming reports of abductions and extrajudicial killings of government critics that remain unresolved, drawing international condemnation;

E. Whereas journalists and media in Tanzania have also been persecuted and their fundamental freedoms are constantly violated by the authorities;

1. Strongly condemns the arrest of Tundu Lissu and the charges against him which appear to be politically motivated; calls for his immediate release and dismissal of charges;

F. Whereas international human rights organizations have condemned the targeting of opposition figures in Tanzania especially during 2024 a year marked by the forced arrest and disappearance of four government critics, one of whom has been confirmed dead/killed;

2. Expresses deep concern that Lissu has been charged with an offence carrying the death penalty while being denied due process; urges the Tanzanian authorities to uphold his right to a fair trial and to ensure that no death sentence is imposed;

1. Strongly condemns the arrest and continued persecution of Tundu Lissu, Chair of the main opposition party Chadema, and expresses deep concern over serious risk to his life and well-being while in custody;

3. Urges the Tanzanian government to cease all persecution of opposition members and supporters; demands the immediate release of all other political prisoners and an end to the use of security forces and laws to stifle peaceful dissent; calls for independent investigations into alleged abductions and killings;

2. Strongly condemns the fact that Tanzania still retains death penalty in law even if has not been actively used for the last 10 years;

4.3. Calls on the Tanzanian authorities to reinstate CHADEMA’s fullimmediately participationand inunconditionally therelease 2025Tundu electionsLissu and to engageensure inhis dialoguesafety, withfair thetreatment, opposition;right insiststo ondue urgentprocess electoraland reformsfull access to guaranteemedical freecare and fairlegal elections,representation, in lineaccordance with Tanzania’s international democratichuman standards;rights obligations;

5. Calls on the European Union and its Member States to closely monitor the situation and raise these concerns with the Tanzanian authorities; urges them to consider appropriate measures if the human rights situation continues to deteriorate;

4. Urges the Government of Tanzania to uphold the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and political pluralism, and to refrain from any actions that may intimidate, silence, or endanger opposition figures and civil society actors;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President and Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, the African Union, the East African Community, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the VicePresident of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

5. Reiterates the need for the EU to ensure that its development cooperation with Tanzania is consistent with the promotion of human rights and democratic governance, keeping also in mind Russia’s and China’s growing influence and role in the region;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Tanzanian Government, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the African Union, and the East African Community.