Tanzania Faces Fresh International Pressure After Tundu Lissu's Sentencing
Tanzania is facing fresh international pressure following the sentencing of opposition leader Tundu Lissu to four years in prison, with the European Union, European Parliament and United States raising concerns over the country's commitment to democratic principles and fundamental freedoms. "The persecution of an opposition figure is a direct assault on democratic principles and the fundamental right to dissent," European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Chair David McAllister stated on Saturday, November 7, while condemning the court's decision. McAllister said the incitement conviction was a disproportionate restriction on freedom of expression, noting that Lissu had been acquitted of treason.
