Tundu Lissu Calls For Sanctions Against Tanzania President John Magufuli

Former Tanzania presidential candidate Tundu Lissu is now asking the international community to impose sanctions on President John Pombe Magufuli and other enablers of alleged human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in the country.

In a tweet on Monday night, the opposition leader, who continues to accuse Magufuli of rigging the October 28 Presidential Election, wants the international community to impose travel bans, freeze assets and other measures “necessary” to end impunity in the East African country.

“Those who subvert democracy, abuse the rights of their people and commit crimes against humanity should never have any hiding place anywhere in the community of nations. Rather, their crimes should be exposed to the world, denounced everywhere and severely punished!” said Lissu adding that plans are in top gear to sue the leaders at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Netherlands for atrocities committed.

What we have just seen with the debate in the Foreign Affairs Committee of @Europarl_EN @davidmcallister is just the beginning. More is yet to come, with filings in @IntlCrimCourt, congressional hearings in the US and actions in bilateral and multilateral institutions. pic.twitter.com/g7O9DSqOWT

— Tundu Antiphas Lissu (@TunduALissu) November 23, 2020

Those who subvert democracy, abuse the rights of their people and commit crimes against humanity should never have any hiding place anywhere in the community of nations. Rather, their crimes should be exposed to the world, denounced everywhere and severely punished! pic.twitter.com/w8Yd4xmi5w

— Tundu Antiphas Lissu (@TunduALissu) November 23, 2020

The October poll was marred by claims of arrests, restricted access to polling stations, multiple voting, pre-ticking of ballots and widespread blocking of social media.

At least 10 people were reportedly killed in Zanzibar by police on October 26, claims that authorities have dismissed.

Read: Tanzania’s Police Boss Dismisses Lissu’s Assassination Claims, Tells Him To Return Home

Lissu and former Chair of the Tanganyika Law Society Fatma Karume had on Friday also called upon the international community to levy economic sanctions on the Magufuli regime, claiming that donor funds could be used to further destabilise the opposition rather than for development.

The two were speaking during a webinar hosted by the Brenthurst Foundation and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, under the Governance Accountability Platform banner.

“Given what has happened, any form of assistance to Magufuli will be read by Magufuli and will be presented to the people of Tanzania and it is being presented so, as an endorsement of his murderous regime. It will be taken as proof that what he is doing is correct and he is being supported internationally,” said Lissu.

Read Also: Respect the Rule of Law, US Tells Tanzania Amid Claims of Rigged Elections

On her part, Karume stated that Tanzanian authorities had politicized the army and police forces.

Lissu fled to Belgium on November 10 citing threats to his life after Magufuli was sworn in for a second term in office.

In a recent interview with BBC, the Chadema leader said he took the threats seriously after he survived an assassination attempt in 2017.

Read Also: Tanzania President John Magufuli Sworn-in For A Second Term After Troubled Poll

The opposition in Tanzania continue to allege receiving threats following aborted protests that were meant to push for fresh elections.

Another Chadema leader, Godbless Lema, fled the country after allegedly receiving death threats.

Lema, who lost his bid to retain his seat for Arusha Urban Constituency for a third term, fled to Kenya on November 8, 2020, to seek asylum.

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