The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been formally requested to investigate severe human rights violations and a violent crackdown that allegedly followed Tanzania's 2025 general elections. Lawyers representing alleged victims, with support from the World Jurists Association and the Madrid Bar Association, submitted a comprehensive document to the ICC in The Hague. This document accuses the Tanzanian government of orchestrating post-election massacres across several regions of the country.

The context for these allegations stems from Tanzania's general election last month, which was reportedly marred by widespread accusations of fraud, aggressive security operations, and a surge of unrest nationwide. Ahead of the election, major opposition candidates faced significant obstacles, including arrests and exclusion. For instance, Tundu Lissu, the presidential candidate for the main opposition Party for Democracy and Progress, was arrested in April at a public rally and subsequently charged with treason and cybercrime offenses. Similarly, John Heche, a vice chairperson of the same party, was arrested in October, weeks before the election, and charged with terrorism. Another figure, Mr Mbowe, was reportedly released and then re-arrested in September.

President Samia Hassan was declared the winner with nearly 98 percent of the votes. However, numerous international election observation missions, including the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), swiftly characterized the election results as fraudulent and lacking credibility, stating they failed to meet democratic standards.

As news of alleged electoral fraud permeated the country during and after the election, protests erupted in major cities like Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Arusha, quickly spreading nationwide. Demonstrators expressed their anger by setting fire to government buildings, burning posters of Ms Hassan, and attempting to block roads. The security forces' response to these demonstrations was described as immediate and lethal. Lawyers alleged that security forces were deployed across protest sites with explicit orders to suppress demonstrations by any means necessary.

Eyewitness accounts and video footage cited in the document reveal that security forces "opened fire on protesters with live ammunition," with police and military officers allegedly "firing directly into crowds of unarmed civilians." Beyond direct force, the Tanzanian government reportedly implemented an internet shutdown lasting six days and blocked VPN services. Electricity access was also restricted to prevent citizens from charging devices and documenting abuses. These measures, according to the document, were designed to impede protesters' organization via social media, block real-time documentation of security force violence, cut off international media access, and, critically, create an "information vacuum within which security forces could commit mass atrocities without contemporaneous documentation."

Despite the severe restrictions on communication and power, protests contesting the election's validity continued even after President Hassan's declaration of victory. In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city, security forces reportedly conducted a coordinated assault on protest sites from October 30 through November 1. When demonstrators gathered in areas like Kariakoo commercial district, Mwenge, and Ubungo, security forces allegedly "opened fire without warning," with survivors describing "volleys of automatic weapons fire directed into crowds of unarmed civilians." The document further details how security forces pursued fleeing individuals into buildings, side streets, and homes. Additionally, house-to-house searches were conducted in areas identified as opposition strongholds, accompanied by mass arrests, torture, and detention of protesters.

The exact death toll from the post-election violence has been challenging to establish due to the internet blackout, intimidation of witnesses, and alleged disposal of bodies. Opposition parties like CHADEMA and ACT-Wazalendo have estimated the death toll at over 1,000. Western diplomatic missions, relying on intelligence sources and contacts within Tanzanian security and health services, estimate at least 500 deaths. The United Nations, under its strict verification rules, has confirmed 10 deaths but acknowledged that access restrictions likely mean the actual number is considerably higher.

In response to the events, Tanzanian President Samia Hassan defended the actions of the security operatives. She asserted that the protesters had malicious intentions to overthrow her government, claiming young people were paid to take to the streets. President Hassan stated, "These were not protests; it was violence with malicious intentions. What happened was a manufactured event, and those who planned it intended to bring down our government." She further justified the use of force, saying, "In that situation, the government has a responsibility, and we swear to defend this country and its borders, to protect the safety of citizens and their property. And in that case, the force used is proportional to the event."