Tanzania opposition officials arrested as Tundu Lissu refuses to appear in courtChadema spokesperson says party's vice-chair John Heche and secretary general John Mnyika held on way to protest over treason chargesTanzania's main opposition party said on Thursday at least two of its officials had been arrested on their way to a rally to support the leading government opponent Tundu Lissu, who refused to appear at a virtual court hearing to face a charge of treason.Authorities in the east African country have increasingly cracked down on the opposition Chadema party ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in October. Continue reading...
DRC government and M23 agree to halt fighting and work towards truceBoth sides say they have resolved to end conflict through peaceful means after 'frank' talks facilitated by QatarThe Democratic Republic of the Congo and a coalition of militias including the Rwanda-backed M23 have agreed to work toward a truce to end the fighting that has engulfed the eastern part of the country since January.In similarly worded statements released on Wednesday night, the government and Alliance Fleuve Congo (Congo River Alliance) said their representatives had held talks facilitated by Qatar and resolved to end the conflict through peaceful means. Continue reading...
'I hope I'll one day be at peace': civilians seek mental health help in war-ravaged eastern DRCPeople traumatised by conflict have queued outside the Saint Vincent de Paul neuropsychiatric hospital in Goma each day since free scheme launchedOn a sunny morning in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where fighting between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army raged earlier this year, men and women rushed towards a line of chairs outside a medical facility.Since 24 March, the Saint Vincent de Paul neuropsychiatric hospital, a medical facility for people with mental health issues, has been offering free consultations on a first-come first-served basis for people affected by the fighting. Dozens have lined up to be seen each day. Continue reading...
Tunisian court hands prison sentences of up to 66 years in mass trial of regime opponentsOpposition says trial was staged to entrench president Kais Saied's authoritarian ruleA Tunisian court has handed down prison sentences of 13 to 66 years to politicians, businessmen and lawyers in a mass trial that opponents say is fabricated and a symbol of president Kais Saied's authoritarian rule.Businessman Kamel Ltaif received the longest sentence of 66 years on Saturday, while opposition politician Khayam Turki was given a 48-year jail term, a lawyer for the defendants said. Continue reading...
|