The Commonwealth Should Investigate Tanzania’s Failure to Respond to COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic is a global emergency that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives globally. Even when governments make their best effort at preserving the life and well-being of their populations by enacting sensible measures to decrease the spread of the disease and working to procure vaccines as quickly as possible, COVID-19 has proven to be a deadly adversary. When a government wilfully denies reality, casts doubt on vaccines and testing, and punishes those who report facts relating to the global pandemic inside the country, the international community must take action.

The authoritarian government of President John Magufuli has endangered the public safety of Tanzania, and has violated the basic human rights of Tanzanians by refusing to take any prevention or containment measures against the virus, while further refusing to receive any vaccines.

Robert Amsterdam, acting on behalf of his client Tundu Lissu, the former opposition presidential candidate in the 2020 elections, is requesting that the Commonwealth Secretariat refer this matter to the Ministerial Action Group for investigation.

The following supplemental letter was submitted this week. This letter joins an earlier complaint submitted regarding election irregularities and violations of the Harare Declaration, which can be read in full here.

Download the letter here or read the embed below.

Commonwealth Submission on Tanzania's Failure to Respond to Coronavirus by Robert Amsterdam on Scribd