Tanzania lawyers say police used excessive force

Written by AFP on January 10, 2011.
Saved under East Africa, Tanzania
Tags: Excessive force, Felix Kibodya, Police, President Jakaya Kikwete, Tanganyika Law Society, tanzania

President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania

DAR ES SALAAM, January 10, 2011 (AFP) – Tanzania’s police used excessive force against civilians when they stopped a demonstration last week, the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) said in a statement Monday. ”The TLS strongly condemns the actions taken by the police force in denying the constitutional rights of association and assembly and of expression,” TLS President Felix Kibodya said. He added that the lawyers’ body “strongly condemns the use of excessive force by the police force in dispersing the crowd of unarmed, peaceably processing and assembled civilians.”

On Wednesday between two and five demonstrators were killed in the northern town of Arusha after police fired on a demonstrators protesting alleged fraud in October presidential elections and corruption in the administration. Top opposition leaders were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly by a magistrate’s court before being released on bail. TLS said the state and its organs, as well as civilians must observe and abide by the law. ”TLS calls on the government of Tanzania to probe the cause of and to investigate this unfortunate incident, to bring those accountable to task in accordance with the laws.” On Friday Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete told ambassadors and heads of international organisations based in Dar es Salaam that he deeply regretted last week’s incidents.