London protests conviction of Tundu Lissu in Tanzania
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Post
The United Kingdom protests the conviction of Tanzanian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Tundu Lissu to four years in prison for incitement, handed down on 6 November 2026. British minister Kirsty McNeill cites the UN report on the arbitrary nature of his detention and calls for judicial safeguards to be respected, according to her statements.
The United Kingdom protested on Tuesday against the conviction of Tundu Lissu, leader of Tanzania’s opposition and president of the CHADEMA party, to four years in prison for incitement. British Minister for Africa and International Development Kirsty McNeill cited the findings of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which had deemed Lissu’s detention arbitrary and lacking a sufficient legal basis, reports Daily Post.
London called on the Tanzanian authorities to uphold their commitments to reconciliation, a pluralist democracy, a fair trial and the rule of law. Amnesty International also called for Lissu’s conviction to be overturned and for his release, citing restrictions on confidential access to his lawyers and the interruption of live broadcasts of the trial.
The CHADEMA leader had been acquitted of the treason charge before being convicted of incitement. He has filed a notice of appeal against the judgment handed down by a three-judge panel, according to Daily Post.
The British protest comes after the conviction of Tundu Lissu to four years in prison on 6 November, followed by his appeal against the conviction, announced on 8 November.
