Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu is set to go on trial for treason, just weeks before the East African country holds an election that his party, CHADEMA, has been barred from contesting.
Lissu, who came second in the 2020 presidential poll, was arrested in April and charged with treason over a speech he allegedly made calling on the public to rebel and disrupt the elections.
He has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer claims the charges are politically motivated.
The trial has sparked concerns about Tanzania’s human rights record, with allegations of abductions and arrests of government critics.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has been in power since 2021, is widely expected to win a landslide re-election.
Despite initial praise for easing repression, Hassan’s administration has faced criticism for its handling of opposition figures, including Lissu’s case.
The court has banned live coverage of the proceedings to protect witness identities.
