A total of 518 people died in Tanzania from “unnatural causes” in the wake of widespread protests that followed last year’s general elections, the commission of inquiry set up to investigate the violence has announced, the BBC reports.
However, commission chairman Mohamed Chande Othman did not say who was responsible for the deaths and recommended further investigations.
Opposition parties and human rights groups have accused the security forces of unleashing a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the 29 October election with 98% of the vote – which the opposition described as a “mockery” of democracy.
The president said the election was fair and transparent.
She blamed foreigners for the violence and said it was part of a plot to overthrow her.
This is the first the authorities have said how many people died.
Most of those who died – 490 – were male, Othman said.
