A court in Tanzania on Friday, ordered the release of opposition leader Freeman Mbowe after the prosecution dropped charges, including terrorism, against him.

The Chadema Party leader was arrested in July 2021 shortly before a party conference at which reforms were to be discussed.

After Mbowe was arrested, politicians, religious leaders, and human rights organizations urged the government to release the opposition figure.

Amnesty International said the arrest was politically motivated.

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President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who had been in power since April, promised more democratic freedoms after taking office.

However, according to human rights organizations, politically motivated arrests of politicians and journalists continued in the country.