Tanzania suspends newspaper over ads featuring president

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Paris, France, on May 14, 2024. [AFP]

Tanzania suspended the online operations of a leading newspaper on Thursday after it released advertising clips featuring the president and referencing recent abductions and killings of dissidents.

One of the animated videos released online earlier this week by The Citizen showed President Samia Suluhu Hassan watching news clips of dissidents and victims of state repression.

Hassan has faced mounting domestic and international criticism over allegations that the security forces are behind the kidnapping and murder of opposition figures.

Her government has banned two major rallies by the opposition Chadema party since August, briefly detaining its leaders.

The Citizen, one of the most influential English-language papers, stated on Wednesday saying its online publications had been suspended for 30 days by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority.

The paper had already removed the animated adverts, saying in a separate statement that they "depicted events that raised concerns regarding the safety and security of individuals in Tanzania".

It said it did so because of "the misinterpretation it has generated", without giving further details.

Hassan took power after the sudden death of her authoritarian predecessor John Magufuli in 2021. She was initially feted for removing restrictions on opposition rallies and the media.

But rights groups and Western governments, including the United States, have criticised what they see as renewed repression ahead of local elections in November and a general election in late 2025.