Tanzanian MP charged for calling president a dictator
Chief whip of the country’s opposition faces a hate speech charge for using insulting words against the president — whose nickname is the ‘Bulldozer’
Nairobi — A top opposition lawmaker in Tanzania has been charged with hate speech after calling President John Magufuli a dictator, according to court documents seen by AFP on Tuesday. Tundu Lissu, chief whip of the opposition in parliament and president of Tanzania’s bar association, was arrested last week after holding a press conference where he criticised Magufuli and complained of a "climate of fear which reigns everywhere". After appearing in court on Monday, Lissu was "returned to prison" ahead of a Thursday ruling on his application for bail, said Saed Kubenea, a member of parliament in Lissu’s Chadema party. Lissu faces a hate-speech charge for his "insulting words that are likely to incite ethnic hatred", according to the charge sheet. Local media reported Lissu was accompanied by about 20 lawyers and pleaded not guilty to the accusation during his Monday appearance. Lissu’s comments and jailing come amid growing tension over the authoritarian leadership style of Magufuli,...
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