Tanzania protests: Over 100 facing treason charges

A Tanzanian court charged more than 100 people with treason on Friday following election protests, news agencies report.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the October 29 poll with 98 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission, although the main opposition party was barred from participating.

Protests broke out across the East African country on election day and a six-day internet shutdown also witnessed.

On Friday, hundreds of people appeared in court in the economic capital, Dar es Salaam.

The charges are the first against people accused of having participated in the protests.

Calls for reconciliation

Religious leaders and others have urged the government to try to reconcile with political opponents and protesters.

A charge sheet seen by the agency accused them of having "the intention to obstruct" the election and intimidate the executive by causing serious damage to government property.

The suspects would remain in detention until their next hearing because treason was a non-bailable offence, a lawyer with the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition told AFP.

Opposition party Chadema has said that at least 800 people were killed in election violence, although the authorities have so far not released any toll for dead or injured.

African Union election observers said the poll was "compromised".