Amnesty urges Tanzania to 'disclose fate' of missing ex-ambassador

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Amnesty International on Wednesday demanded that the Tanzanian government "disclose the fate and whereabouts" of a former ambassador who became a fierce critic of the authorities.

Led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan since 2021,  Tanzania  a nation of about 67 million people is due to hold a general election this month in which the head of state is seeking a new term.

The government has intensified its crackdown on the opposition ahead of the October 29 polls, drawing criticism from international human rights groups.

Humphrey Polepole, who had served as Tanzania’s ambassador to Cuba since 2013, resigned in July, accusing the government of human rights abuses.

"I can no longer be part of a leadership structure that does not uphold the Constitution of the country... nor the principles of justice, ethics, human dignity and accountability to citizens, I have made the decision... to resign," Polepole said in his resignation letter.

Since then, he has become a fierce critic of the Hassan-led government.

His disappearance came to light on Monday after his brother, Augustino Polepole, posted a viral video on social media, accusing a police officer of abducting the diplomat.

Another video showed a house with broken doors and a floor stained with blood.

Amnesty International on Wednesday said it was "deeply alarmed" that Polepole "might have been forcibly disappeared and possibly assaulted".

The human rights group in a statement demanded that authorities "put every effort into locating him and bringing him back to safety".

"They must hold his abductors accountable," said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty's regional director for east and southern Africa.

Polepole had been living outside Tanzania since his resignation but returned home about a month ago and was staying in a rented house until his abduction, his family told AFP.

Police said in a statement on Tuesday that they had opened an investigation into the disappearance of the former ambassador and into allegations by his brother that a police officer was involved in the abduction.

Hassan took office following the sudden death of her authoritarian predecessor John Magufuli.

She was initially praised for easing the restrictions he had imposed on the opposition and the media but has since reversed course, with the nation facing renewed repression.

In April, the main opposition party, Chadema, was disqualified from the elections after its leader Tundu Lissu refused to take part without major voting reforms.

Lissu is currently facing treason charges, which carry the death penalty.