The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) expresses its profound alarm at the Tanzanian authorities' decision to declare all demonstrations planned for 9 December 2025 "illegal," and at the escalating repression of civic space since the October elections.

OMCT is outraged by the excessive and lethal force deployed by Tanzanian security forces in the aftermath of the disputed October elections. Credible reports from national and international human rights organisations document numerous killings, including of peaceful protesters; scores of people injured through the use of live ammunition, beatings, and other forms of excessive force; mass arrests and detentions, including of minors and human rights defenders; and allegations of torture and ill-treatment in police custody. There are also reports of enforced disappearances, intimidation of journalists, suspension of activists' social media accounts, and broad restrictions on civic space, including internet shutdowns and curfews imposed without legal justification. These patterns reveal a deeply disturbing escalation of state violence and a systematic attempt to silence dissent.

OMCT recalls that excessive or lethal force against peaceful protesters can amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, which is absolutely prohibited under international law, including the African Charter on human and people's rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both ratified by Tanzania. The State bears a strict, non-derogable obligation to prevent torture and ill-treatment under all circumstances.

We are particularly concerned that past protest responses have involved live ammunition, indiscriminate violence, arbitrary arrests, and reported killings. The use of live bullets against unarmed civilians is unlawful, violates international policing standards, and risks constituting torture or other ill-treatment when used to intimidate, punish, or deter legitimate civic participation.

OMCT therefore strongly urges the Tanzanian security forces to:

• Refrain from the use of live ammunition and any excessive or lethal force against protesters, bystanders, journalists, or human rights defenders;
• Ensure that any use of force complies strictly with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution, and accountability, as set out in the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms;
• Guarantee that no individual is subjected to torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, or arbitrary detention in the context of the protests;
• Facilitate - rather than suppress - the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly, refraining from blanket bans, intimidation, movement restrictions, or communication shutdowns;
• Protect human rights defenders, civil society organisations, journalists, and medical personnel, allowing them to operate safely and without reprisals;
• Conduct prompt, independent, and impartial investigations into all allegations of torture, excessive force, and protest-related abuses, and ensure accountability at all levels.

On Friday 5th December 2025, OMCT joined a broad coalition of 30 civil society organisations in a letter to Permanent Missions urging the UN Human Rights Council to take immediate action. We reiterate this call today: the Council should hold a debate following a public briefing by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and-if the situation continues to deteriorate-consider stronger measures, including convening a special session to address the deepening human rights crisis in Tanzania.

OMCT stands in solidarity with Tanzanian civil society, human rights defenders, and all individuals seeking to exercise their legitimate rights peacefully. We urge the authorities to adopt a human-rights-based approach to policing, prevent any escalation of violence, and honour their international obligations to protect life, dignity, and freedom from torture.