John Heche, the deputy leader of Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema, is facing terrorism charges, two weeks after his arrest in the capital Dodoma, his lawyer has said.
Heche is being held in Dar es Salaam, where he was informed of the charges, amidst widespread protests and deadly violence following the October 29 election, which President Samia Suluhu Hassan won with 98% of the vote.
The elections were marred by irregularities, with observers from the African Union and Southern African community criticizing the process. Chadema’s chairman, Tundu Lissu, remains in detention on treason charges, which he denies.
The government has downplayed the scale of violence, but rights groups have condemned the repression, citing enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of opposition figures.
