Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who has been in detention since April 2025 while facing a treason charge, has been nominated for the European Parliament’s 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
The nomination was made by the European People’s Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament, which announced the decision on September 16. The Sakharov Prize is awarded annually to individuals and organisations recognised for contributions to the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Lissu, chairman of Tanzania’s main opposition party Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), was arrested on April 9, 2025, following a political rally in Mbinga, in southwestern Tanzania. He was subsequently charged with treason and offences related to the publication of false information. He denies the allegations.
Treason is a capital offence in Tanzania and carries the possibility of the death penalty. People charged with treason are also not eligible for bail under Tanzanian law.
Lissu’s case has continued through the Tanzanian courts. On August 21, 2026, a three-judge panel of the High Court ruled that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence for him to have a case to answer, requiring him to open his defence. The ruling followed the prosecution’s presentation of evidence and submissions from Lissu’s defence team.
The treason charge relates to remarks Lissu allegedly made at a CHADEMA meeting in Dar es Salaam on April 3, 2025, concerning the party’s opposition to participating in the 2025 general elections and its stated intention to prevent the elections from taking place, according to court reporting.
The EPP Group said Lissu’s case reflects what it described as concerns over democratic pluralism and political competition in Tanzania. It said the opposition leader represents the defence of democracy, political pluralism, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.
The nomination comes after the European Parliament adopted a resolution in May 2025 expressing concern over Lissu’s arrest and the risk of a death sentence. The resolution called for his immediate and unconditional release and urged Tanzania to uphold fair-trial guarantees and fundamental freedoms.
Lissu has a long history in Tanzanian politics and survived an assassination attempt in September 2017, when he was shot multiple times. He later returned to Tanzania after receiving medical treatment abroad and contested the 2020 presidential election.
The Sakharov nomination process will continue in the European Parliament in the coming weeks. Political groups were required to submit candidates by September 17. The nominees are scheduled to be presented on October 1, after which the relevant parliamentary committees are expected to select three finalists. The Conference of Presidents will then choose the laureate, with the award ceremony scheduled for December in Strasbourg.
Lissu’s nomination also comes as Tanzania continues to face international scrutiny over its treatment of political opposition. CHADEMA was barred from participating in the 2025 general elections after refusing to sign the electoral code of conduct, according to the European Parliament’s account of events.
The nomination does not itself confer the Sakharov Prize; Lissu remains one of the candidates in a process that will produce a shortlist before a final decision is made later this year.
