Early on 11th January 2017, the three organizations campaigning for freedom of expression in Tanzania that is the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) filed the Reference before the East African Court of Justice challenging the Media Services Act 2016. The three organizations challenged the Act on the grounds that it violates basic freedoms as postulated under the EAC Treaty (Reference No. 2 of 2017).

On 28th March 2019, the East African Court of Justice delivered the judgment in favour of the applicants. In response, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania filed a notice of appeal which was later in June 2020 struck out by the court to make the ruling stand and binding.

Do you know the implication of the ruling? Read the analysis here.