A court in Dar es Salaam issued a ban on the live broadcasting of the high-profile treason trial of Tanzania’s main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, a move he condemned as an attempt to shroud the proceedings in secrecy.
The decision, handed down by Principal Resident Magistrate Franco Kiswaga on Monday as the long-awaited trial began, effectively bars the Tanzanian public from directly witnessing the case. Magistrate Kiswaga stated the ban was necessary to protect the identities of civilian witnesses for the prosecution.
Lissu, a prominent and vocal critic of the government, strongly objected to the ruling. He argued that preventing live coverage would allow the court to “operate in darkness” and deny his supporters across the nation the ability to follow the trial.
The case has been postponed several times in recent months. Lissu was initially arrested and charged with treason in April after he delivered a speech calling for comprehensive electoral reform. According to prosecutors, his remarks incited the public to disrupt the upcoming general elections scheduled for October.
Treason is among the most serious charges in Tanzania’s legal system. If convicted, Tundu Lissu could face the death penalty.
The trial’s commencement and the accompanying media ban have drawn intense scrutiny, with many viewing the case as a critical test of political freedom and judicial independence in the East African nation.
