B10‑0261/2025

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

(2025/2690(RSP))

The European Parliament,

− having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure

A. whereas on 9 April 2025, Tanzanian police arrested Tundu Lissu, the chairperson of the country’s main opposition party, Chadema, after violently dispersing the political rally he was holding;

B. whereas on 10 April, Lissu was presented before the court, and charged with the non-bailable offence of treason, and three offences of publication of false information under cybercrime laws, in relation to social media posts denouncing electoral malpractices; whereas treason in Tanzania carries a potential death sentence;

C. whereas on 12 April, Chadema was disqualified from contesting the October 2025 elections after party officials refused to sign the election code of conduct until the government undertook electoral reforms;

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

E. whereas despite the positive steps initially taken towards greater political freedom after President Hassan took office in 2021, the government has subsequently resorted to violent repression of dissent;

1. Strongly condemns the recent violent crackdowns and police violations against Tanzania’s opposition members and government critics, and the irregular arrest of Tundu Lissu;

2. Calls on the Tanzanian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Tundu Lissu and to withdraw the charges brought against him without respect for fair trial standards;

3. Calls upon President Hassan to honour the commitments she made at her inauguration to steer the country back towards democratic progress;

4. Urges Tanzanian authorities to end the escalating crackdown, arbitrary arrests, violence, and attacks and harassment on opposition members, human and queer rights defenders, journalists and civil society organisations, to thoroughly, promptly and impartially investigate any allegations of police abuse and enforced disappearances, to uphold the rule of law, freedom of expression, press, media and association, and judicial independence, to respect the rights of political parties to organise, and to ensure free and fair elections;

5. Calls on the Tanzanian government to establish a moratorium on executions and take steps towards the full abolition of the death penalty; reiterates its categorical opposition to the death penalty under any circumstances and calls for its universal abolition;

6. Calls on the Tanzanian government to bring the country’s cybercrime and media laws in line with international human rights law standards;

7. Calls on the EU and its Member States to step up engagement with the Tanzanian authorities and to ensure observation of trials against government critics and opposition members;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the Member States, the African Union, the UN and the Government and Parliament of Tanzania.

B10‑0264/2025

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

(2025/2690(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

A. whereas Tundu Lissu, Chair of the main opposition party CHADEMA was arrested on 9 April 2025 in Mbinga following a peaceful rally advocating for electoral reforms as a part of the CHADEMA’s national “No Reforms, No Election” campaign;

B. whereas Tundu Lissu has been charged with treason, carrying a potential sentence of death penalty in Tanzania, and “publishing false information” online; whereas he has been denied regular access to his legal counsel and announced to enter a hunger strike in protest at his imprisonment;

C. whereas shortly after Lissu’s arrest, CHADEMAwas disqualified from October’s election due to the party’s refusal to sign an electoral code of conduct; whereas the human rights situation in Tanzania has significantly deteriorated in recent months;

D. whereas there has been a documented pattern of political repression against opposition figures, including arbitrary arrests, harassment, intimidation, and torture as reported in Freedom in the World 2025 and the Human Right Watch, regarding the current circumstances;​

1. Condemns the arrest and detention of Tundu Lissu and expresses grave concern over the charges against him, which carry the risk of capital punishment; calls upon the Government of Tanzania to immediately and unconditionally release him, ensuring his safety and his right to a fair trial and due process;

2. Underlines the need for ensuring access for legal representatives to guarantee that the conditions of detention meet internationally recognised human rights standards; calls on the Tanzanian Government to allow visits from international observers from the United Nations and the European Union; access to court hearings should be open for media;

3. Urges the Tanzanian authorities to uphold the rule of law and to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, ensuring that opposition parties can operate freely and participate fully in the political process; urges the Tanzanian authorities to halt any acts of intimidation, arrest or harassment of opposition leaders and supporters, as well as journalists and human rights defenders;

4. Calls for a transparent and inclusive dialogue on electoral reform, involving a wide spectrum of interested parties, including all  political parties, civil society groups individual citizens, academics, and other stakeholders;

5. Calls on the European External Action Service and Member States to monitor the situation closely and to consider appropriate measures to address the human rights violations in Tanzania;​

6. Demands that an independent authority is set-up to investigate allegations of police abuse and other misconduct to ensure that those responsible are to be brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty;

7. Underlines that any investments under the Global Gateway initiative should be explicitly tied to progress in the areas of rule of law, freedom of expression, and fair trial standards;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of Tanzania, the African Union, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.​

B10‑0263/2025

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

(2025/2690(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

A. whereas opposition leader Tundu Lissu, Chair of CHADEMA, was arrested on 9 April 2025 after an opposition rally and charged on 10 April with treason – a crime punishable by death under Tanzanian law; whereas the charges allege he urged the public to rebel and disrupt the upcoming elections;

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;

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;

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;

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;

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;

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;

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;

4. Calls on the Tanzanian authorities to reinstate CHADEMA’s full participation in the 2025 elections and to engage in dialogue with the opposition; insists on urgent electoral reforms to guarantee free and fair elections, in line with international democratic standards;

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;

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 Vice‑President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.