One year after disappearance, CPJ calls for credible investigation into Tanzanian journalist Azory Gwanda's fate

[jmushi1]

New York, November 21, 2018--One year after freelance journalist Azory Gwanda disappeared in Tanzania, the Committee to Protect Journalists reiterated its call for a credible investigation and public accounting of his fate.
Gwanda, who wrote for the privately owned Mwananchi and The Citizen newspapers, went missing on November 21, 2017. His wife, Anna Pinoni, reported seeing Gwanda leave their farm in Tanzania's Coast region with unidentified men in a white Land Cruiser, according to CPJ research. Gwanda told his wife he was taking an emergency trip, and would return the next day. He has not been seen him since.

Tanzanian officials initially promised to investigate Gwanda's disappearance, but have provided no substantive updates in the year since the journalist went missing, according to the Associated Press. In July 2018, Home Affairs Minister Kangi Lugola was dismissive when questioned about Gwanda's disappearance, and days later suggested he might have run off because of family problems, according to reports by The Citizen.

"The lack of a credible investigation into the disappearance of journalist Azory Gwanda is deeply disappointing, and reflective of our broader concerns about press freedom conditions in Tanzania," said Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa program coordinator.

Quintal and CPJ sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo visited Tanzania in early November 2018 to meet with local journalists and gain a better understanding of the challenges they face. On the evening of November 7, at least 10 government agents showed up in their hotel room in Dar es Salaam. Claiming that Quintal and Mumo did not have the appropriate visas, the agents took them to a secret location and interrogated them for several hours about their research, including their interest in the Gwanda case.

On November 19, CPJ representatives, including Executive Director Joel Simon and board member Kati Marton, met in New York with Tanzania's U.N. ambassador, Modest Mero, and other diplomatic representatives to deliver a letter of protest to Tanzanian president John Magufuli. In the meeting, Mero expressed regret over the detention and violent interrogation of Quintal and Mumo, and said that such incidents "should not happen." Mero added that a CPJ team would be welcomed back to Tanzania and that appropriate visas would be provided. Mero said he would convey to the capital CPJ's request for an investigation into the detention of Quintal and Mumo.


"We appreciate the opportunity to meet with the ambassador but continue to have deep concerns about the treatment of our Africa team," said Simon, following the meeting in New York. "We hope to return to Tanzania soon and to be able to complete our work there without interference or intimidation."
One year after disappearance, CPJ calls for credible investigation into Tanzanian journalist Azory Gwanda's fate

 

[jmushi1]

Nadhani huyu Azory Gwanda alikuwa na taarifa kuhusu hao mamia ya wananchi waliouwawa! Kwanini serikali haifanyi uchunguzi wala kuruhusu uchunguzi huru?

Kuna kitu kinafichwa? Kuna member mmoja anaitwa tatum , yeye anadai Lissu ni muongo! Sasa huyu mwandishi aliyekuwa na taarifa zote ametekwa na haujulikani alipo, huyu aliyekuwa na taarifa zote, halafu serikali hataki kumtafuta au kuruhusu uchunguzi?

Sasa naona serikali inashinikizwa na shirika la wana habari kufanya uchunguzi.

Peter Tosh ana mpini wake unaitwa “Equal rights”, yeye anasema kabisa “I don’t want peace, but equal rights and justice”

Ukifikiria kwa makini, utagunduwa kuna ukweli!

There’s always no true peace without equal rights and justice!

 

[jmushi1]

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an American independent non-profit, non-governmental organization, based in New York City, New York with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists. The American Journalism Review has called the organization "Journalism's Red Cross".[1]

 

[jmushi1]

Lissu akikutana na hao jamaa Lumumba mtakuwa na hali mbaya zaidi. Miti inaanza kuteleza hivyo!
jingalao Magonjwa Mtambuka , tatum , britanicca , TUJITEGEMEE , Ibambasi , DrLove69, Mpinzire

 

[britanicca]

Lissu akikutana na hao jamaa Lumumba mtakuwa na hali mbaya zaidi. Miti inaanza kuteleza hivyo!
jingalao Magonjwa Mtambuka , tatum , britanicca , TUJITEGEMEE , Ibambasi , DrLove69, Mpinzire

Hata saa nane naye arudi usiseme gwanda tu

 

[jmushi1]

Hata saa nane naye arudi usiseme gwanda tu

Sawa kiongozi. Hii ni kwasababu ni mwandishi, na huo umoja wa wana habari ndiyo unampambania. Ben issue yake iko sambamba na ya Lissu na yule aliyekatwa mapanga mchana kweupe!

 

[britanicca]

Sawa kiongozi. Hii ni kwasababu ni mwandishi, na huo umoja wa wana habari ndiyo unampambania. Ben issue yake iko sambamba na ya Lissu na yule aliyekatwa mapanga mchana kweupe!

Kumbe je kama kashamezwa na chatu??

 

[jmushi1]

Kumbe je kama kashamezwa na chatu??

Mwenye chatu atapatikana tu. Sidhani kama kebehi hizi zitazuilia haki kupatikana. I think it’s is just a matter of time.

 

[Jurrasic Park]

Yule mkazi wa jumba jeupe ndo anahusika kabisa maana alitaka kuua watu Kisha ajifanye yeye ndo masiha aje aokoe ili watu turudishe imani kwake baada ya kuboronga kwa kila anachokishika.

Sio ajabu ata kwa mgonjwa wa taifa naye alihusikaView attachment videoplayback-3.3gp

Sent using Jamii Forums mobile app

 

[kedekede]

Ulaya hakuna watu wanao potea?in may 2018 walisema 180,000 go missing every year!

 

[Salary Slip]

Wauji na watekaji wanajulikana kwa matendo yao.

 

[Jmc06]

Mnachosahau hao wazungu hata likipotea bara zima la Afrika hawatajali, 98% ya wazungu hawana uchungu hata kidogo na mtu mweusi. Ndo maana tunamshangaa huyo Lissu kukimbilia kwa wazungu akidhani watamsaidia lolote. Wao wanaangalia maslahi tu,kama maslahi yao hayajaguswa hata ushinde kwenye korido za white house mwezi mzima ni kama unampigia mbuzi gitaa.Kazidiwa hata na dogo Bobby Wine anakomaa humo humo Kampala alipo Museveni.

 

[mhanila1]

Ulaya hakuna watu wanao potea?in may 2018 walisema 180,000 go missing every year!

Ndiyo nawewe uende na kamati yako ukachunguze hao waliopotea, kwani umekatazwa. Hivi kusaidia kuchunguza mtu aliyepotea si ni habari ya heri hiyo maana hatuingii tena garama kubwa labda ndiyo kikwazo chetu.

 

[jmushi1]

Ulaya hakuna watu wanao potea?in may 2018 walisema 180,000 go missing every year!

Siyo watu tu, hata Wanyama huwa wanatafutwa wakipotea.

Tambuwa kwamba huwa wanafanya for some causes! Mfano huo umoja wa waandishi umetambuwa hatari zinazowakumba waandishi wanapokuwa kazini kutuhabarisha.

Fikirisha ubongo zaidi mkula.

 

[kedekede]

Mnachosahau hao wazungu hata likipotea bara zima la Afrika hawatajali, 98% ya wazungu hawana uchungu hata kidogo na mtu mweusi. Ndo maana tunamshangaa huyo Lissu kukimbilia kwa wazungu akidhani watamsaidia lolote. Wao wanaangalia maslahi tu,kama maslahi yao hayajaguswa hata ushinde kwenye korido za white house mwezi mzima ni kama unampigia mbuzi gitaa.Kazidiwa hata na dogo Bobby Wine anakomaa humo humo Kampala alipo Museveni.

Mkuu waafrika hatuna akili ya kuchambua vitu!

 

[Jmc06]

Mkuu waafrika hatuna akili ya kuchambua vitu!

Mkuu Trump alipoingia madarakani alisema AFRICA itatue matatizo yake yenyewe, na sera za marekani kuhusu AFRICA zimebadilika sana tangu aingie madarakani. Sina kumbukumbu TRUMP akitembelea nchi yeyote ya AFRICA tangu aingie madarakani, nashangaa vijana wanahisi kuna tatizo la Tanzania linaweza kutatuliwa na USA. Huyo LISSU ziara zake zimeshaisha kabadilisha nini?

 

[jmushi1]

• Chini ni barua waliyomuandikia Maghufuli baada ya wajumbe wao waliokuja kufuatilia, kuanza kukamatwa na kuwa harrased! Baada ya kuongea na balozi wetu wa UN Modesto Mweo huko NY, waliahidi kurudi na kuendelea na uchunguzi wao.

cc Pascal Mayalla

President John Magufuli
1 Barack Obama Drive
11400, Kivukoni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Dear President John Magufuli,
I am writing from the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit press freedom organization, to express my grave concern about the treatment of two members of our Africa program team who were detained by Tanzanian officials on November 7.
Angela Quintal, who leads CPJ's Africa program, and Muthoki Mumo, CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa representative, traveled to Tanzania on October 31 with the intention of staying until November 10. Their goal was to visit Tanzanian journalists and civil society organizations to better understand press freedom in your country. They were invited by the Media Council of Tanzania and, before traveling, spoke to representatives of your government who informed them that visas were not required because they were planning only private meetings. Quintal, a South African citizen, and Mumo, a Kenyan, declared their intentions at customs in Dar es Salaam, were admitted without incident, and operated openly. Unfortunately, their visit was cut short by a disturbing encounter with officials of your government.

On the evening on November 7, agents in plain clothes who identified themselves as Tanzanian immigration officials arrived at Quintal and Mumo's hotel rooms, searched their belongings, and demanded they be taken for questioning.

The CPJ team was bundled into a van with the windows covered, driven to a house at an undisclosed location, and interrogated. At no point were Quintal and Mumo questioned about their visas. On the contrary, the agents claimed they had been tracking our team for days and asked repeated questions about the content of their meetings. The officers targeted Mumo with physical and psychological violence. They slapped and shoved her. They accused her of betraying black people. They threatened further violence. One agent said if it were up to him, he would kill them.

The officers also seized the CPJ team's passports and electronic devices, and forced Quintal and Mumo to share their passwords so that officers could attempt to access their information. During their detention, officers accessed Quintal's personal Twitter account and falsely sent a tweet claiming that that the CPJ team had been released.

We recognize that your government, like all governments, has the legal authority to control access to your country and to regulate visas. However, the detention of Quintal and Mumo is about something much more fundamental, namely the willingness of your government to uphold press freedom and to allow international organizations like CPJ access to carry out an independent assessment.

If Quintal and Mumo were given incorrect visa information by your government representatives, they could have been denied entry or even deported. But there is absolutely no justification for the treatment they received at the hands of Tanzanian government agents, whom we believe were not immigration officials at all, but rather members of the intelligence services.

We hope that you, like us, are dismayed by this unprofessional, abusive behavior, and that you will order an investigation and hold accountable those responsible. We are also gravely concerned that journalists with whom our team met have been subject to pressure and intimidation. We urge you to ensure that Tanzanian journalists are not targeted for their work.

Tanzania's reputation as a country that respects press freedom and international visitors and is a responsible member of the international community has been damaged by the mistreatment of CPJ's team. But this damage can be repaired if your government takes swift and appropriate action. We request your public assurance that a CPJ delegation will be allowed to visit Tanzania in the near future; that CPJ delegation members be granted the appropriate visas without delay; that they be allowed to carry out their work without interference; and that Tanzanian journalists can meet with our delegation without fear of reprisal.

Please keep us informed of your government's response. We will follow up with your diplomatic representatives.

Sincerely,
Joel Simon
Executive Director
CC
Augustine Mahiga, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tanzania
Wilson Mutagaywa Kajumula Masilingi, Ambassador to the U.S., Tanzania
Modest Mero, Ambassador to the U.N., Tanzania
Thami Mseleku, High Commissioner in Tanzania, South Africa
Pindi Channa, Ambassador to Kenya, Tanzania
Monica Juma, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenya
Dan Kazungu, High Commissioner in Tanzania, Kenya
Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa
Koleta Anita Mqulwana, Ambassador to Kenya, South Africa
António Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations
David Kaye, Special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, United Nations
Moussa Faki, Chairperson, African Union
Lawrence Mute, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, African Union
Kathleen Carroll, Board chair, CPJ

 

[Missile of the Nation]

Kutaka kubambikia wapinzani mauaji ya kibiti ilibuma sasa Jiwe na serikali yake wauleze ulimwengu hawa watu zaidi ya 400 MKIRU wako wapi?

 

[jmushi1]

Mkuu waafrika hatuna akili ya kuchambua vitu!

Siyo Africa tu, kuna tatizo kwa rais aliyepo wa USA. Hata kuhusu shambulizi la Kashoggi, Congress bado inambana ayalaani mauwaji yale na kuchukuwa hatua. Kwahiyo wabunge ni watu wa muhimu usisahau. Usijidanganye kabisa kuhusu siasa za marekani. Wale hawana viongozi madikteta! Hata kina Saddam walishuhudia marais wengi tofauti wa Marekani, tena wengine walishirikiana naye kabisa!

Think more without blindsiding yourself with bias.

 

[kedekede]

Mkuu Trump alipoingia madarakani alisema AFRICA itatue matatizo yake yenyewe, na sera za marekani kuhusu AFRICA zimebadilika sana tangu aingie madarakani. Sina kumbukumbu TRUMP akitembelea nchi yeyote ya AFRICA tangu aingie madarakani, nashangaa vijana wanahisi kuna tatizo la Tanzania linaweza kutatuliwa na USA. Huyo LISSU ziara zake zimeshaisha kabadilisha nini?

Msomi kama yule kama hafikirii inasikitisha sana!