Tanzania ranks position 124 out of 180 countries in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. Arbitrary arrest and detention, disappearance, surveillance, shutdown of media outlets, repressive media laws have become tools to silence and punish journalists for doing their public service since President John Magufuli took over in 2015.
Authorities have banned all local media outlets from broadcasting foreign content without government permission and local journalists working with foreign reporters as fixers are also required to have a government minder. Some of the laws that have been used in recent years to undermine the right to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom are the Electronic and Postal Communications (Radio and Television Content) Regulations, the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, the Media Services Act, the Electronic and Postal Communications (Digital and Other Broadcasting Networks and Services) Regulations
