WARNING: This report contains graphic information and imagery. While efforts have been made to blur details, the report includes information which some readers may find distressing. Graphic links are underlined in red.
Executive summary
CIR has conducted an in-depth investigation through open source and digital evidence into incidents of violence, killing and human rights violations in Tanzania between 29 October and 4 November 2025.
The Unified Republic of Tanzania held national elections on 29 October 2025. Large-scale protests and acts of civil disobedience took place in cities across Tanzania amid allegations of election interference and repression of opposition candidates. Despite internet blackouts across the country, reports immediately surfaced online of violent suppression of protests at the hands of state security forces, resulting in widespread death and injury.
In order to investigate this violence, CIR followed a rigorous methodology (Section 3): to collect, preserve, verify and analyse pieces of content. CIR recorded and archived footage from user-generated content (UGC) shared on social media, such as X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, Facebook and Instagram, and from media outlets, then used open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques to verify their locations and, where possible, the date and time they were recorded, the actors involved, and the number of casualties. The data collected forms the basis of this report and is referred and linked to throughout.
CIR has collected, preserved and analysed 185 pieces of digital evidence from the period of post-election violence in Tanzania. Of this 185, CIR verified the precise location of 44 images and videos. Whilst the majority of incidents occurred in Tanzania’s main city, Dar es Salaam, CIR recorded incidents throughout Tanzania, including in the cities of Mwanza, Mbeya, Arusha, and Tunduma. CIR combined its dataset of UGC with satellite imagery analysis.
In addition to the UGC data and Satellite Imagery, CIR obtained a compilation of drone footage that details protest movements, buildings on fire and plain-clothed armed individuals shooting in homes. Due to privacy issues this footage has been labelled as sensitive and is not directly referred to, pictured or linked to in this
report.
CIR has categorised its analysis into four themes, based on the patterns observed:
- Shooting incidents and targeted killings (Section 5.1) CIR verified the repeated use of live ammunition by security forces and plain-clothed armed men, resulting in casualties.
- Use of excessive force and beatings (Section 5.2) CIR verified footage showing civilians being assaulted, humiliated, and forced into stress throughout Tanzania.
- Configuration of security forces (Section 5.3) CIR analysed the actors shown in footage to determine whether the perpetrators of violence were police officers or armed forces.
- Handling of bodies, morgues, and mass grave sites (Section 5.4) CIR identified possible mass graves through satellite imagery and verified large piles of bodies within UGC.
CIR’s investigation into post-election violence in Tanzania has uncovered a significant amount of digital evidence showing possible human rights abuses by security forces in the country. However, new footage from the investigation period continues to be shared online by Tanzanian activists, journalists, and social media
users. CIR suggests that further research should be undertaken in order to continue to verify new footage of the protests, and to conduct deeper investigative analysis into the identities and backgrounds of the perpetrators of violence for accountability.
