Skip to content
EU Parl Watch

resolution motion, 24 November 2025

On the post-election killings and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tanzania, including the case of imprisoned opposition leader Tundu Lissu

Motion B-10-2025-0514 · (2025/2990(RSP))

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group · Rapporteur: Catarina Vieira, Maria Ohisalo, Ville Niinistö, Erik Marquardt

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

This resolution condemns the unlawful killings and excessive force by Tanzanian security forces during post-election protests, and the attacks on opposition politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders. It calls for the immediate release of Tundu Lissu and Humphrey Polepole, for independent investigations, and for the EU to engage with Tanzanian authorities and support human rights defenders.

Key points

  1. Strongly condemns the unlawful killings and excessive force used by security forces during post-election protests and urges Tanzanian authorities to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
  2. Condemns attacks against main opposition politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders and calls for an end to state-sponsored violence against them.
  3. Calls on Tanzanian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Tundu Lissu and to provide clarity on the whereabouts of Humphrey Polepole and release him without delay.
  4. Urges Tanzanian authorities to release all individuals arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their human rights and to ensure detainees have regular access to family and lawyers.
  5. Urges Tanzania to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty and commuting all death sentences.
  6. Calls for independent and impartial investigations into unlawful killings, excessive use of force, and disappearances of government critics and opposition supporters.
  7. Calls on the EU and its Member States to engage with Tanzanian authorities at the highest level to address these urgent human rights concerns.
  8. Requests that the EU delegation in Tanzania ensures trial observation in the case of Tundu Lissu and others arbitrarily detained.
  9. Calls on the EU to establish longer-term support to Tanzanian human rights defenders and journalists, including relocation programs and legal pathways for asylum.

Who is affected

  • Tanzanian security forces and authorities, who are urged to stop violence and release detainees.
  • Tundu Lissu and other arbitrarily detained individuals, who should be released.
  • Opposition politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders in Tanzania, who face attacks and need protection.
  • The EU and its Member States, called on to engage with Tanzanian authorities and support human rights.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 20 paragraphs

B100514/2025

European Parliament resolution on the post-election killings and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tanzania, including the case of imprisoned opposition leader Tundu Lissu

(2025/2990(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Tanzania

– having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas on 29 October 2025, Tanzania held elections which were widely boycotted after the two main opposition parties were disqualified from running; whereas on 9 April 2025, Tanzanian police arrested Tundu Lissu, chairperson of the main opposition party Chadema, and charged him with the capital offence of treason; whereas human rights organisations consider these charges fabricated and politically motivated;

whereas on voting day, the Tanzanian security forces committed grave human rights violations law in policing post-election protesters and non-protesters, using unlawful, unnecessary and excessive force; whereas testimonies from victims and medical sources reveal security forces repeatedly resorted to the unlawful use of lethal force, firing live ammunition into gatherings of post-election protesters;

whereas the Tanzanian authorities illegally declared a curfew and cut off electricity and internet access, obstructing the documentation and reporting of human rights violations, while the Tanzanian security forces carried out unlawful killings and enforced disappearances;

whereas human rights organisations have observed a sustained purge against key Chadema officials and government critics; whereas in October outspoken government critic Humphrey Polepole was abducted with whereabouts now unknown;

Strongly condemns the unlawful killings and excessive force used by security forces during post-election protests; and urges the Tanzanian Authorities to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms ensure the integrity the electoral process;

Condemns furthermore the attacks against the main opposition politicians, journalists and human rights defenders in Tanzania and call for an end to any state-sponsored violence against them;

Read the rest (8 paragraphs)

Calls on the Tanzanian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Tundu Lissu, as well as provide clarity on the whereabouts of Humphrey Polepole and release him without delay;

Urges the Tanzanian authorities to release all individuals who have been arbitrarily detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights; stresses that pending their release, detainees must be provided with regular, frequent access to family and lawyers of their choice;

Urges Tanzania to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty and commuting all death sentences;

Calls for independent and impartial investigations into the unlawful killings and excessive use of force during the post-election protests, as well as the disappearances of government critics and opposition supporters

Calls on the EU and its Member States to engage with the Tanzanian authorities at the highest level to address these urgent human rights concerns;

Requests that the EU delegation in Tanzania ensures trial observation in the case of Tundu Lissu and others arbitrarily detained;

Calls on the EU to establish crucial longer-term support to Tanzanian human rights defenders and journalists and to facilitate human rights defenders’ relocation programs, offering safe refuge to those at risk and legal pathways for asylum.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President and Parliament of Tanzania.