THE European Union has expressed deep dismay at political developments in Zanzibar and appealed to Tanzania’s union government to intervene to sort out the debacle. A statement released on Wednesday by the EU mission said it is dismayed at the outcome of a treason trial hearing on April 3, when the high court in Zanzibar and Pemba rejected a defence motion asking for the dismissal of treason charges against 18 members of the main opposition party, the Civic United Front. The EU statement said the continued detention of the accused and the handling of the process is “a gross violation of universally agreed principles of due process.”