Geneva — TANZANIA has dismissed allegations of human rights violations raised by the representative of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, stating that citizens have the freedom to express themselves and share their opinions, even against the government.

The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations Offices and Other International Organizations, Dr Abdallah Possi, made the statement when addressing the 5th meeting of the 59th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In his statement, Dr Possi noted that Tanzania fully upholds its obligations emanating from the Constitution as well as regional and international human rights instruments.

Emphasizing on his point, he noted that Tanzania is a mature democracy, having held seven free, fair, and peaceful multiparty elections.

"Tanzania has never failed to hold elections as required by the constitution, and if trends and patterns are anything to go by, the same should be expected this time around," he stated.

Additionally, Dr Possi noted that Tanzania's ability to maintain peace in a very diverse society, with many ethnicities, different beliefs, and political ideologies, is attributed to its adherence to the rule of law.

"This commitment to legal principles helps ensure that all individuals are treated fairly and equitably and this applies to the individuals mentioned by the representative of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, who unfortunately failed to declare their genuine purpose of entering the country, a common requirement of immigration laws of many countries," he said.