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Tanzania, "Do not share fear-inducing images" in presidential election protests
  • Yonhap News
  • November 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM
기사수정
  • Internet access restored after 6 days of blockage due to protests against unfair presidential election


Protesters in Arusha, Tanzania on the 30th (local time)Protesters in Arusha, Tanzania on the 30th (local time). AP Yonhap News. 

Tanzanian police have warned against sharing fear-inducing images as internet access, which was blocked due to protests against an unfair presidential election, was restored after six days, Reuters and other media reported on the 4th (local time).


The Tanzanian police sent a text message to mobile phone users immediately after the internet was restored the previous day, stating, "Refrain from sharing photos and videos that induce fear or damage individual dignity."


The police warned, "This constitutes a criminal offense, and severe legal action will be taken if discovered," adding, "You may be prosecuted for treason."


AP reported that this text message was sent shortly after internet access resumed, as unconfirmed photos and videos claiming to be of protest victims began to be shared on social media.


One social media account that was posting videos and photos claiming to be of deceased protest victims gained thousands of followers in just a few hours before being deleted on the evening of the previous day.


In Tanzania, famous for Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro, protests against the unfair election have been ongoing since the presidential election on the 29th of last month, mainly in the largest city, Dar es Salaam, and bloodshed occurred during the suppression by the military and police.


According to AP, the main opposition party CHADEMA claimed that more than 1,000 people died due to the authorities' harsh crackdown and that the military and police are secretly disposing of bodies.


Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the Tanzanian authorities' violent suppression of protesters in a statement on the same day, urging them to "stop the use of lethal force and hold the military and police accountable."


The authorities blocked the internet from election day, and a curfew in Dar es Salaam and a work-from-home order for civil servants were also maintained for a period.


On this day, gas stations and shops in Dar es Salaam and the capital Dodoma, which had been closed for several days, reopened, and public transportation resumed, indicating that daily life was slowly returning to normal, AP reported.


A government spokesperson requested all civil servants to return to work the previous day.


President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was re-elected with 97.66% of the vote in the presidential election, which was held amidst fairness controversies due to the exclusion of the first and second opposition parties, was inaugurated the previous day.


In her inauguration speech, President Hassan condemned the protests against the unfair election as "violent and destructive acts," urged for unity and solidarity, and promised a swift return to normalcy.


Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan holding a shield and sword at her inauguration ceremony on the 3rd (local time)Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan holding a shield and sword at her inauguration ceremony on the 3rd (local time). Reuters=Yonhap News.

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