Reacting to Friday’s conviction of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and his sentence of four years’ imprisonment for incitement, after he was acquitted of treason, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, said:

“Tundu Lissu should never have been arrested, let alone prosecuted and convicted. Today’s verdict and four-year prison sentence are the culmination of a deeply flawed process that was unjust from the moment of his arrest. He has already spent 577 days in arbitrary detention solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights.

Tundu Lissu should never have been arrested, let alone prosecuted and convicted. Today’s verdict and four-year prison sentence are the culmination of a deeply flawed process that was unjust from the moment of his arrest.

Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

“The proceedings were marred by serious violations of his right to a fair trial.…