Court denies Tanzania's application seeking for extension of time to file an appeal challenging a decision against the government's order over a newspaper's ban
East African Court of Justice, 3rd June, 2020: The Appellate Division denied an Application filed by the Attorney General(AG) of the United Republic of Tanzania, seeking for extension of time to file an Appeal out of time, to challenge the decision of the First Instance Division delivered on 21st June 2018,that ruled in favor of the Managing Editor of Mseto Newspaper.
The First Instance Division in its decision, declared that, an order issued by the former Tanzanian Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, dated 10th August 2016 that banned publication of Mseto newspaper, as a restriction of press freedom and thereby constitutes a violation of the Respondent’s State obligation under Articles 6 (d) and 7 (2) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. The newspaper was banned for allegedly publishing incitements and false news.