Civil Society Warns on Human Rights in Tanzania

38 civil society organisations are calling on the Government of Tanzania to address the human rights situation in the country.

They have expressed their concern regarding the current situation in an open letter to the Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council ahead of the Human Rights Council's 41st session scheduled for June 21 to July 12.

Among those to sign for the letter warning of a “mounting human rights crisis” were the Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network, Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Centre for Civil Liberties- Ukraine, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists.

Government spokesman Dr Hassan Abbas has defended the government’s track record, however, stating, "We know there are some non-governmental organisations that are being used by some powers that have written to the UN complaining about the Tanzania human rights situation. But what we have submitted will serve as the government stand on any human-rights issue."