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Tag: violent protests

  • Tanzania president being sworn in after election marred by violence

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    Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan is being sworn in shortly for a second term following an election marred by violent protests and rejected by the opposition as a sham.

    The inauguration ceremony is being held at a military parade grounds in the capital, Dodoma, in an event closed to the public but broadcast live by the state-run TBC.

    Samia was declared the winner on Saturday with 98% of the vote. She faced little opposition with key rival candidates either imprisoned or barred from running.

    International observers have raised concerns about the transparency of the election and its violent aftermath, with hundreds of people reportedly killed and injured.

    The authorities have sought to downplay the scale of the violence. It has been difficult to obtain information from the country or verify the death toll, amid a nationwide internet shutdown in place since election day

    In her victory speech, Samia said the poll was “free and democratic” and described the protesters as “unpatriotic”.

    Opposition leaders and activists say hundreds were killed in clashes with security forces. The opposition Chadema party told the AFP news agency that it had recorded “no less than 800” deaths by Saturday, while a diplomatic source in Tanzania told the BBC there was credible evidence that at least 500 people had died.

    The UN human rights office earlier said there were credible reports of at least 10 deaths in three cities.

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  • Nepal’s government lifts ban on social media after deadly protests

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    Nepal’s government has lifted a controversial ban on social media platforms following violent protests in which at least 19 people died.

    The Cabinet took this decision after a late-night crisis meeting, Nepali Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung told the local news portal OnlineKhabar.

    On Monday, at least 19 people were killed in clashes between demonstrators and police in the country, including at least 17 in Kathmandu.

    Over 100 people were injured, including police officers, according to authorities.

    The unrest follows the government’s decision last week to block 26 online networks, including Facebook and Instagram, across the Himalayan nation. Authorities accused the platforms of failing to register properly.

    In August, Nepal’s Supreme Court had ordered that the affected online services be placed under state supervision to help combat the spread of misinformation online.

    Critics say the government is using the measure to expand control over the platforms rather than merely to regulate them.

    Thousands of people, mostly young people aged roughly 18 to 30, took to the streets across the country to protest the move.

    In Kathmandu, the situation escalated on Monday when protesters tried to force their way into the parliament building. Participants in the protests also voiced concerns about rising government corruption.

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