The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Tanzanian authorities on Tuesday to lift the suspension of news platform JamiiForums and protect press freedom ahead of the October 29 elections.
CPJ’s regional director, Angela Quintal, criticized the suspension, calling it a clear effort to suppress public debate and restrict access to information. She urged Tanzanian authorities to restore the news platform and refrain from using “vague and overly broad” online content laws to silence dissent and undermine press freedom.
On September 6, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) suspended the license of Tanzanian social media and news platform JamiiForums for a period of 90 days, after blocking access to the site. In its decision, the TCRA stated that the platform breached the Electronic and Postal Communications Act, citing publication of misleading content that defamed the country’s president and undermined national unity.
In a statement published on X (formerly Twitter), JamiiForums said the suspension resulted from publishing statements by Tanzanian politician Humphrey Polepole, a known critic of the president and government, as well as reports on President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s meeting with a Zimbabwean businessman that were published without fact verification or seeking government comment. CPJ, however, noted that it could not be determined whether the disputed content was published by JamiiForums or its users. The organization also reported that it had contacted the TCRA and a government spokesperson for clarification, but received no response.
Tanzania has previously faced criticism for abusing online content laws to shut down social media platforms and control the flow of information in the country. In 2024, Tanzanian Internet Service Providers blocked access to the social media platform X amid political unrest involving the government and opposition parties. Human rights organizations have also condemned the government’s suppression of political dissent through arbitrary arrests, social media restrictions, and platform shutdowns ahead of local elections. Additionally, Maxence Melo, founder of JamiiForums, was arrested and convicted for operating an unregistered website, but was acquitted in 2020.
Ahead of the October 29 elections, the UN also expressed serious concerns over the rising use of violence and repression in the country against human rights advocates and opposition members, citing enforced disappearances and intimidation of journalists.
