Tanzania Arrests Opposition Protesters as Court Hearing Postponed

Tanzanian riot police detained a number of protesting supporters of arrested opposition leader Freedom Mbowe on Thursday, as a terrorism case against him was postponed.

Mbowe and other officials from the main opposition party Chadema were arrested last month ahead of a planned conference to demand constitutional reform. The 59-year-old has been charged with terrorism financing and conspiracy in a case that has triggered concern among rights groups and some Western nations about the state of democracy under Tanzania's new leader. Mbowe had been due to appear in court in the financial capital Dar es Salaam on Thursday via a video link from prison but the case was postponed to Friday because of connection problems, his defence lawyer Peter Kibatala said.