Tanzania 1.2. The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists, are asserting their rights without fear. ANALYSIS: There was general agreement that there is a lot of fear among citizens, which is partly due to intimidating threats made by state operatives like the police, security officers and the army. Since Tanzania became a multiparty state in 1992 there have been some politically motivated interferences in the freedom of expression of both the public and the media especially during election campaigns. There was consensus, however, that in some cases fear comes about as a result of wrong perceptions and ignorance rather than legal restraints. It was also agreed that journalists do not always assert their right to freedom of expression without fear because what they express has to toe the line of the media house they work for, and they are afraid of compromising their employment and/or being held responsible for any legal action that may arise from their stories. A number of examples and indications of free expression being inhibited were cited. Journalists are wary of having articles attributed to them by name. A Parliamentary Committee summoned citizens to defend statements made against parliamentarians that were considered negative, in violation of their dignity or unpleasant. People are not empowered to know their rights and this is much worse at village level. Journalists were physically harassed by state organs in 2005 when covering an illegal eviction of civilians from residential houses at Ukonga in Dar es Salaam. The journalists suffered serious bodily harm and the prison warders directly involved are currently facing charges in a court of law. However the pace of the hearing is frustratingly slow. - Cultural and religious taboos were identified as other reasons for intimidation. African Media Barometer - Tanzania 2006 5