Tanzania’s interior minister, Patrobas Katambi, announced on Friday that the government is banning all political rallies, less than two weeks before youth-led protests planned for July 7.
Background
The protesters plan to gather on the July 7 public holiday to call for democratic reforms and justice for people killed in election violence last year. A government-appointed commission of inquiry said in April that at least 518 people were killed in the unrest, which was driven by the exclusion of leading opposition candidates from the elections.
Tanzanian authorities have denied allegations by human rights groups that the security services used excessive force. The commission placed the blame for the violence with the protesters, which infuriated the government’s opponents, who accused it of bias.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
