The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for an independent investigation into the alleged killing and disappearance of Tanzanian citizens during and after the October 29 General Election.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Türk cited “deeply troubling” reports that security forces were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of protesters and that bodies were taken to undisclosed locations. He said the UN had been unable to verify casualty figures due to the ongoing security crackdown and an internet blackout that followed the disputed vote.
“Reports of families desperately searching everywhere for their loved ones, visiting one police station after another and one hospital after another are harrowing,” Türk said. “I strongly urge Tanzanian authorities to provide information on all those missing and to return the bodies of the dead to their families for dignified burials.”
He also condemned reports that security officers had been removing bodies from streets and hospitals to conceal evidence.
Türk called on President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government to release opposition leaders, including CHADEMA party chief Tundu Lissu, who has been in detention since before the election campaign. He urged the government to ensure that the hundreds of protesters charged with treason are given fair trials.
“It is essential that all those arrested are promptly brought before a judicial officer and afforded full due process rights under international law,” he said.
The October 29 election sparked widespread unrest, with opposition groups and youth-led movements claiming the process was rigged. Human rights organisations estimate that more than 1,000 people were killed in the ensuing violence, though the Tanzanian government has disputed those figures.
Reuters reported that at least 145 protesters have been charged with treason, while dozens remain missing.
