Tanzania Charges Journalist With Economic Crimes
Tanzania's government on Monday charged investigative journalist
Erick Kabendera with money laundering, tax evasion and assisting a
criminal racket.
Kabendera has been in custody since July 29. Suspects charged with money laundering are not eligible for bail, so news reports say he could remain in jail until his case is resolved, which could take three years. Kabendera's alleged violations occurred between early 2015 and last month. His next court date is Aug. 19.
The freelance journalist has been critical of President John Magufuli's administration and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi Party in stories for The Guardian, The East African, and The Times of London.
Opposition and civil rights groups say
Kabendera's case is a government effort to silence dissent — a notion
disputed by the administration of Magufuli, who was elected in 2015.
"Prosecutors should immediately drop the charges against Kabendera,
and Tanzania should end its practice of retaliating against critical
voices," Muthoki Mumo, sub-Saharan African representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a release from the New York-based group.
Onesmo Olengurumwa, national coordinator for the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, told VOA in a phone interview that the group would continue to defend journalists in Tanzania.
"Our role is to always campaign for justice and then also use courts of law to seek that," he said.
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