31 December 2020
#JusticeForZaraKay #JusticeForZara #StandUpForZaraKay
Zara Kay, an Australian citizen and founder of Faithless Hijabi, was summoned to the Dar es-Salaam Oysterbay Police Station on 28 December 2020 and was held in police custody for 32 hours without an initial clear indication of charges.
Zara is a well-known ex-Muslim and women’s rights activist. Faithless Hijabi, which she founded in 2018, supports women who have been ostracised or abused for leaving Islam. Whilst in police custody, Zara was asked about the work of her organisation and why she left Islam.
Zara was bailed on 29 December 2020 and told to return to the police station on 31 December. Her passport was also confiscated. This morning, at the police station, Zara was given permission to return on Tuesday 5 January 2021 with her lawyer. This is because stress caused by her initial police custody exacerbated Zara’s underlying health condition. Late last night, Zara had to go to the local hospital where doctors reiterated her diagnosis of Generalised Anxiety Disorder.
THE CHARGES AGAINST HER REMAIN AS FOLLOWS:
1) Social media post deemed to be critical of the president of Tanzania (these light satirical posts were posted in May when Zara was in London, addressing the handling of Covid-19 in Tanzania)
2) Not returning her Tanzanian passport after gaining Australian citizenship (she never returned her Tanzanian passport as she misplaced and never used it after gaining Australian citizenship)
3) Using a SIM-card not registered in her name (this was registered in a family member’s name). Failure to register SIM-cards legislation has been used to persecute other high-profile cases.
We believe these charges are politically motivated and initiated by those from the Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Jamaat who have threated Zara with death for leaving Islam and for her activism in support of ex-Muslims and women.
CALL TO ACTION:
The International Coalition of Ex-Muslims reiterates its call on the Tanzanian government to immediately drop all the charges against Zara Kay and allow her to leave the country. The constitution of Tanzania enshrines secularism as a state principle and recognises freedom of expression and of conscience. We also call on the Australian authorities to intervene and get Zara home to safety.
We also call on the public to continue to take urgent action by contacting Tanzanian embassies in countries of residence and the Tanzanian government calling for all charges against Zara Kay to be dropped and that she be permitted to leave the country.
Please also contact Australian embassies in countries of residence urging them to immediately intervene on behalf of Zara and get her home safe.
USEFUL TANZANIAN AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CONTACTS:
Australia
TZ
Website: https://www.tanzaniaconsul.com/contact/
Email: enquiries@tanzaniaconsul.com
East Africa (including Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Seychelles, Eritrea)
TZ
Twitter: @TZhighcom
Email: nairobi@nje.go.tz
Website: http://ke.tzembassy.go.tz
AUS
Twitter: @AusHCKenya
Email: consular.nairobi@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://kenya.embassy.gov.au/nair/aboutus.html
United Kingdom
TZ
Website: https://tzhc.uk/contacts
Email: ubalozi@tzhc.uk
AUS
Website: https://uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/home.html
Twitter: @AusHouseLondon, @AusHCUK
Email: consular.lhlh@dfat.gov.au
France
TZ
Website: https://www.fr.tzembassy.go.tz/contacts
Twitter: @TanzaniaFrance
Email: ambtanzanie@wanadoo.fr
AUS
Website: https://france.embassy.gov.au/pari/home.html
Twitter: N/A
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralieEnFrance
Email: consular.paris@dfat.gov.au
Germany
TZ
Website: https://de.tzembassy.go.tz/contacts
Twitter: @TZinGermany
Email: berlin@tzembassy.go.tz; consular.berlin@nje.go.tz
AUS
Website: https://germany.embassy.gov.au/
Twitter: @AusAmb_DE
Email: info.berlin@dfat.gov.au
Netherlands
TZ
Website: https://www.nl.tzembassy.go.tz/index.php/contacts
Twitter: @Verheul_Jeroen
Email: hague@nje.go.tz; contact@tanzaniaembassy.nl; consular@tanzaniaembassy.nl
AUS
Website: https://netherlands.embassy.gov.au/thag/home.html
Twitter: @AusAmbNL
Email: austemb_thehague@dfat.gov.au
Scandinavia (Nordic Countries, Baltic States & Ukraine)
TZ
Website: https://www.tanemb.se/contact-us/
Twitter: @TZTourismNORDIC
Email: mailbox@tanemb.se
AUS(Sweden, Finland, Latvia)
Website: https://sweden.embassy.gov.au/
Twitter: @AusAmbSE
Email: stockholm.reception@dfat.gov.au
AUS (Denmark, Norway, Iceland)
Website: https://denmark.embassy.gov.au/
Twitter: @AusAmbDK
Email: consular.copenhagen@dfat.gov.au
United States
TZ
Website: https://tanzaniaembassy-us.org/
Twitter: @tzembassyus
Email: ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org
AUS
Website: https://usa.embassy.gov.au/
Twitter: @AusintheUS
Email: N/A
New Zealand
TZ
Website: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/africa/tanzania/consulate-for-the-united-republic-of-tanzania/
Email: stuartbatty@e3.net.nz
AUS
Website: https://newzealand.embassy.gov.au/wltn/home.html
Twitter: @AusHCNZ
Email: consular.wellington@dfat.gov.au
Turkey
TZ
Twitter: @tzembassyturkey
Email: ankara@nje.go.tz; consular.ankara@nje.go.tz
Website: https://www.tr.tzembassy.go.tz/
AUS
Twitter: @AusAmbTurkey
Email: ankara.embassy@dfat.gov.au; consular.ankara@dfat.gov.au; consular.istanbul@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://turkey.embassy.gov.au/ankaturkish/home.html
Pakistan
TZ
Email: pahictanzania@mofa.gov.pk; dsalaamtz@gmail.com
Website: http://mofa.gov.pk/dar-es-salam-tanzania/
http://in.tzembassy.go.tz
AUS
Twitter: @AusHCPak
Email: consular.islamabad@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://pakistan.embassy.gov.au/islm/home.html
India
TZ
Twitter: @TanzaniainIndia
Email: info@tanzrepdelhi.com; newdelhi@nje.go.tz; consular_visa@tanzrepdelhi.com
Website: http://in.tzembassy.go.tz
AUS
Twitter: @AusHCIndia
Email: ahc.newdelhi@dfat.gov.au; cg.mumbai@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://india.highcommission.gov.au/
Egypt
TZ
Email: cairo@nje.go.tz
Website: https://eg.tzembassy.go.tz/about/category/about-the-embassy
Morocco
TZ
Email: cairo@nje.go.tz
Website: https://eg.tzembassy.go.tz/about/category/about-the-embassy
AUS
Twitter: N/A
Email: rabat@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://morocco.embassy.gov.au/
Singapore
TZ
Email: tz_consulate@singnet.com.sg
AUS
Twitter: @AusHCSG
Email: enquiries.singapore@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://singapore.embassy.gov.au/
Malaysia
TZ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tanzanrepkl/
Email: Kualalumpur@nje.go.tz
Website: https://www.tanzaniahighcommission.my/
AUS
Twitter: @AusHCMalaysia
Email: N/A
Website: https://malaysia.highcommission.gov.au/
Sri Lanka
AUS
Twitter: @AusHCSriLanka
Email: consular.colombo@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://srilanka.embassy.gov.au/clmb/home.html
Iran
AUS
Twitter: N/A
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/australiainiran/
Email: N/A
Website: https://iran.embassy.gov.au/
Jordan
AUS
Twitter: N/A
Email: amman.austremb@dfat.gov.au; consular.amman@dfat.gov.au
Website: https://jordan.embassy.gov.au/
President John P. Magufuli
P.O. Box 11400, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Email: ikulu@ikulu.go.tz
Twitter: @MagufuliJP