Election in Tanzania
With regards to the election in Tanzania, Heinz Bierbaum, President of the European Left declares:
"The Party oft he European Left expresses its great concern about the elections in Tanzania. Already on the eve of the elections protests against the ruling party CCM took place on the island of Zanzibar and were suppressed violently by police forces. There are now several dead and hundreds of people have been injured. In this context the police arrested the ACT Wazalendo presidential candidate in Zanzibar, Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad, who is still in custody. „The freedom of opinion and of the press is an important fundamental right and must remain inviolable!", says Heinz Bierbaum, president of the European Left. „The violent action against the opposition is illegal and must not be a means of maintaining power. We hope for a free and fair election process."