ICC prosecutors were denied entry at Tanzania airport in a stunning escalation of diplomatic friction, as a delegation of International Criminal Court officials and forensic specialists arrived at Julius Nyerere International only to face immediate refusal and swift deportation on the next Kenya Airways flight bound for The Hague.
The incident, confirmed by multiple sources close to the court and airport authorities, unfolded late Monday evening when the five-member advance team touched down from Amsterdam via Nairobi. Immigration officials at Terminal 3 cited “visa irregularities” for the turnaround, despite the team being held in a secure lounge for hours before being escorted to a KQ red-eye departure around midnight.
Eyewitness accounts from fellow passengers described the group, clad in discreet business attire with ICC lanyards visible, boarding under heavy police presence, their briefcases untouched as they complied silently.
This rebuff comes amid mounting international pressure on President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government following the October 29 elections, marred by allegations of widespread rigging and a brutal crackdown that human rights monitors say claimed over 800 lives.
The ICC, which opened a preliminary examination into post-poll atrocities last week, dispatched the team to gather evidence on potential crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial killings in Dar es Salaam and Arusha.
“They were here to document mass graves and survivor testimonies,” revealed a Hague-based poll source familiar with the mission, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Tanzania’s refusal sends a clear message: no external scrutiny allowed.” The Tanzanian foreign affairs ministry spokesperson defended the move Tuesday, insisting the delegation lacked proper accreditation under bilateral agreements.
“We welcome legitimate visitors, but not those undermining sovereignty,” he told reporters in Dodoma, his tone clipped against a backdrop of national flags.
Critics see it as part of a broader clampdown, with internet blackouts persisting and airports on high alert since protests erupted. Kenya Airways confirmed the unscheduled uplift but declined further comment, citing passenger privacy.
The deportation drew swift condemnation from Western capitals and rights groups. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called it “a slap to accountability”, and urged Tanzania to cooperate fully.
Amnesty International, through regional director Tigere Chagutah, labelled the act “obstruction of justice”, demanding unimpeded access for investigators.
For Tanzanians navigating curfews and fear, the snub deepens despair. In Kariakoo’s shuttered stalls, vendors whisper of more bodies in mortuaries, evidence the ICC sought to unearth.
Opposition party Chadema hailed the team’s intent as “a beacon for the silenced.” Back in The Hague, the prosecutors regroup, vowing remote probes via satellite imagery and smuggled testimonies.
ICC prosecutors being denied entry at Tanzania airport marks a bold defiance from Dar es Salaam, testing the court’s reach in Africa, where cooperation has waned since Kenya’s 2010s cases collapsed.
As blackouts linger and arrests mount, the world watches to see if this blockade holds or crumbles under global glare. For now, the team’s return flight carries not evidence but a stark reminder: justice delayed in Tanzania’s turmoil.