Tanzania releases jailed human rights lawyer

Jailed Tanzanian human rights lawyer, Tito Magoti, has been freed after a year of calls for his release.

Mr Magoti was fined 17.3 million Tanzanian shillings ($7,500; £5,500) on Tuesday.

He was arrested in December 2019 alongside an IT specialist Theodory Giyani and charged with economic crimes.

They were accused of creating a computer programme with the intention of committing an offence.

Mr Magoti was at the time working for the Legal and Human Right Centre (LHRC) based in the country's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International had called for Mr Magoti's release, accusing the Tanzanian government of violating his rights.

This article was originally published by BBC News. [Photo: Sipa Michael Mallya]