Tanzania’s parliament begun deliberating a bill which, if passed into law, would have dire implications for human rights in the country, said Amnesty International.
The Bill - The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 3 of 2019), made public on 19 June and being debated under a ‘certificate of urgency’ to speed up its passage, would restrict the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association, including placing impermissible restrictions on civil society organizations and entrenching censorship.
This afternoon members of the civil society, having only been invited this morning to provide feedback on the bill, provided hurried submissions to parliament, denying them a fair opportunity to properly scrutinize the sweeping changes proposed.
“The Tanzania government must allow for meaningful participation in law making processes by giving people adequate time to review, collate and present their views on a law that will impact their lives enormously,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.
Amnesty International urges the authorities to scrap this bill and ensure that any proposed amendments are in line with Tanzania’s constitutional and international obligations and commitments to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
It is crucial that the authorities pursue any proposed amendments in consultation with independent civil society and take concrete steps to end the relentless assault on human rights in the country.
Background
The human rights situation in Tanzania has deteriorated under President John Magufuli. Repression of human rights is now commonplace.
The Bill - The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 3 of 2019), made public on 19 June and being debated under a ‘certificate of urgency’ to speed up its passage, would restrict the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association, including placing impermissible restrictions on civil society organizations and entrenching censorship.
This afternoon members of the civil society, having only been invited this morning to provide feedback on the bill, provided hurried submissions to parliament, denying them a fair opportunity to properly scrutinize the sweeping changes proposed.
“The Tanzania government must allow for meaningful participation in law making processes by giving people adequate time to review, collate and present their views on a law that will impact their lives enormously,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.
Amnesty International urges the authorities to scrap this bill and ensure that any proposed amendments are in line with Tanzania’s constitutional and international obligations and commitments to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
It is crucial that the authorities pursue any proposed amendments in consultation with independent civil society and take concrete steps to end the relentless assault on human rights in the country.
Background
The human rights situation in Tanzania has deteriorated under President John Magufuli. Repression of human rights is now commonplace.
Tanzania should discard new rushed law restricting human rights
Members of Parliament charged on to pass bill that further strangulates human rights
www.amnesty.org