Mob justice: 79 people lynched every month

Dar es Salaam. An average of 79 people are killed every month by people taking law into their hands, the Bi-Annual Human Rights 2017 report released on Monday by the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) shows.

Speaking at the launch of the report, LHRC executive director Dr Hellen Kijo Bisimba said 479 deaths have been reported in the country from January to June this year related to mob justice with Dar es Salaam perched at the top of the chart.

"While 117 deaths have been reported to have occurred in Dar es Salaam, Mbeya sits second with 33 lynchings followed by Mara with 28 deaths and Geita with 26," she said.

Dr Bisimba said  during the six-month period the right to life was contravened in other areas that include death penalty, witchcraft, extra judicial killings, raids at police stations, attacks on people with albinism and road accidents.

Besides, she said human rights was violated through restriction of rights to assembly, expression and speech, which intensified following President John Magufuli's order to ban political activities until 2020.