Amnesty calls for Tanzania inquiry

The London-based human rights group, Amnesty International, has called on Tanzania to hold an independent inquiry into allegations that its security forces committed human rights violations during clashes with opposition protesters in Zanzibar in January.

At least thirty people were killed after the opposition Civic United Front held demonstrations calling for a re-run of last year's elections, which international observers said were not free and fair.

Amnesty says a delegation it sent to Tanzania heard eyewitness testimony indicating that most of the killings had been unlawful.

The human-rights group said its findings confirm reports of torture, including rape and beatings, being carried out against women and children. Amnesty said Tanzania must bring to justice any official responsible for the alleged abuses and called on the international community to put pressure on the government to respect human rights.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service