A lawyer and an opposition politician were detained by Tanzanian police on charges of inciting and plotting to organise massive rallies intended to topple the government.
Through an attorney, Mpaluka Nyagali and Boniface Anyasile Mwabukusi both denied wrongdoing.
According to Human Rights Watch, this follows the imprisonment or threat of prosecution of 22 people who had opposed parliament for authorising a port management agreement between Tanzania and an Emirati corporation.
The Tanzanian government has been accused of selling off its nation, although this accusation has been refuted by activists, people, and opposition leaders.
The lack of a time frame for the end of Emirati management of the ports in the deal particularly worries critics.
According to Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi-Tsehai, who spoke on the BBC’s Newsday show, the country’s human rights situation has been deteriorating and there has been significant public opposition to the port contract, which has resulted in crackdowns.
“Mostly citizens who are not politicians” were being targeted, and she claimed that “it’s never been this bad.”
The two arrested, according to her, were transferring the matter to a higher court for an appeal when they were detained. They had been involved in a case at a regional court seeking to prevent an Emirati corporation from managing Tanzania’s ports, which they lost.