Tanzania 
Zanzibar opposition denied right to participate in elections

afrol.com, 24 August - The political manoevering which has kept 18 members of the Zanzibar opposition behind bars for over two years without trial moved up a gear when a decision on their appeal against treason charges was adjourned this week and they were denied bail. All the prisoners have now been disenfranchised, as they were not able to register to vote and four sitting MPs have missed the deadline for nominations for October's elections.

Article 19's Executive Director, Andrew Puddephatt, said today: "The 18 political prisoners which the Zanzibar government is holding should be released immediately and their right to participate in the democratic process as voters and candidates must be restored to them."

Article 19 observed the Tanzanian Court of Appeal sittings, which took place on 16, 17 and 21 August. 

The accused were challenging the validity of the charges levied against them - charges upon which they have yet to be tried, due to constant postponements by the authorities. They were also applying for bail in order to allow them to register as voters and defend their parliamentary seats. 

So far, no evidence has been presented by the prosecuting authorities to back up the treason charges. Article 19 has called for the Commonwealth Secretary-General to lead a high-level with representatives from the Commonwealth, the UN and the Organisation of Africa Unity to Tanzania to seek progress on a number of issues (including the treason trials) which, unless they are addressed urgently, will ensure that elections due in October 2000 are a farce.

Zanzibar is the "zan" in the TanZANian federation, and as such has great autonomy, including its own parliament and government. The island of Zanzibar, off the Tanzanian coast, otherwise is known for its pre-colonial history, as part of a wide network of commercial city-states in the Indian Ocean, and nowadays as one of Tanzania's major tourist sites. Article 19 has been monitoring the political situation for some time, and made critical remarks on the state of democracy and human rights on the island.

Assessing the politcal situation on Zanzibar in April 2000, a thorough report from Article 19 concluded: 

Little progress has been made in building respect for human rights and a durable democracy in Zanzibar since [the first multi-party elections of Tanzania in] 1995. There are still many laws in Zanzibar which are incompatible with genuine multi-party democracy and the international human rights treaties to which the United Republic of Tanzania, including Zanzibar, is a party. Taken together, these laws gravely undermine the Bill of Rights introduced in Zanzibar in 1985 following reform of the Constitution. Their use in restricting the media, freedom of expression, association and assembly in Zanzibar has led many to fear that Zanzibar's democracy rests on shaky foundations. 

You can read the whole report on this link.

Source: Based on Article 19

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