Tanzanian court acquits Lissu of treason, sentences him to four years

Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu was acquitted of treason and sentenced to four years in prison on November 6 after a three-judge panel convicted him of incitement over statements it said were intended to disrupt the 2025 election and instigate violence. The ruling in Dar es Salaam rejected the treason charge, which carried a possible death sentence. The panel said prosecutors had not proved that Lissu intended to intimidate the government. It nevertheless found him guilty of incitement, although reporting on the proceedings said that offense was not among the charges brought against him. Lissu, chairperson of the opposition Chadema party, denied wrongdoing and said his speech was part of legitimate campaigning. He accused the judges of following political directives. The court said his statements showed an intent to disrupt the election and instigate violence. The written judgment and a fuller explanation of the legal basis for the incitement conviction were not available in the reporting on the verdict. Lissu was arrested on April 9, 2025, after addressing a rally calling for electoral reforms, and was charged with treason the following day. He had been detained for...