This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
On July 29, 2019, investigative journalist Erick Kabendera was whisked away by six unknown men claiming to be police officers from his home in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The men, who were not in uniform and refused to identify themselves, also confiscated the phone belonging to Kabendera, his wife, and neighbors who had recorded or taken pictures of the incident.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the manner in which Kabendera was taken is 'very ominous and further evidence that the press is not safe in President John Magufuli's Tanzania.'
CPJ Sub-Saharan Africa Representative Muthoki Mumo stated, 'Authorities must immediately disclose if they are holding Erick Kabendera, and for what reason, and ensure the journalist is returned safely to his family.'
When colleagues and a lawyer from the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition went to the Oysterbay Police Station to check on Kabendera, he was not there, and police referred the lawyer to the Central Police in Dar es Salaam.
The hashtag #FreeErickKabendera is trending on Twitter in Tanzania, and the CPJ is concerned about Kabendera's safety.
