On 8th May 2025, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the immediate release of Tundu Lissu, the leader of Chadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party.
Lissu was arrested on 9th April 2025 in Mbinga, Tanzania, following his participation in a peaceful rally advocating for electoral reforms, the European Parliament explains in its motion.
The resolution expresses concern about the politically motivated charges against Lissu, including treason, which carries the potential for the death penalty in Tanzania.
The resolution also highlights the broader political climate in Tanzania, condemning the government’s crackdown on opposition, journalists, and human rights defenders.
It urges the Tanzanian government to end arbitrary arrests and violence against opposition members, activists, and civil society organizations.
It further calls for Chadema’s reinstatement in the October 2025 presidential and parliamentary elections, urging Tanzania to engage in transparent electoral reform discussions.
It also urges the Tanzanian authorities to uphold the rule of law, freedom of expression, press, media and association, and judicial independence, and to bring Tanzania’s cybercrime and media laws in line with international human rights law.
The resolution calls on the EU and its Member States to critically engage with Tanzanian authorities and consider appropriate actions if the human rights situation worsens.
It also reiterates the need to ensure that EU development cooperation with Tanzania, including the Global Gateway initiative—a €300 billion investment plan supporting global infrastructure in areas such as digitalisation, energy, transport, health, and education—aligns with human rights, freedom of expression, and fair trial standards.
About Tundu Lissu and Chadema
Tundu Lissu, the leader of Chadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party, has faced severe political persecution. In 2017, he narrowly survived an assassination attempt that left him critically injured.
Following this attack, Lissu was forced into exile for several years, during which time he continued to speak out against the government. After his return to Tanzania, Lissu resumed his political activities, championing electoral reforms and pushing for greater democratic freedoms.
On April 9, 2025, Lissu was arrested in Mbinga after addressing a rally calling for electoral reforms. He was subsequently charged with treason—a non-bailable offense carrying the possibility of a death sentence—and with publishing false information under cybercrime laws.
On April 12, 2025, Chadema was disqualified from the October 2025 polls after refusing to sign a government-imposed electoral code of conduct, which they viewed as a tool to suppress opposition and manipulate the election process.
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