Kenyan, Ugandan Activists Allege Sexual Assault by Tanzanian Security Forces

Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire have accused Tanzanian security forces of subjecting them to sexual assault and torture during their detention in Dar es Salaam. The two were arrested while attending the court appearance of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges ahead of Tanzania's October elections. Mwangi described being stripped, blindfolded, beaten, and sexually assaulted while interrogators photographed him, and Atuhaire recounted a similar ordeal of blindfolding, binding, and sexual abuse. Both activists were eventually abandoned near their respective borders and managed to return home. Tanzanian authorities, as well as Kenyan and Ugandan officials, have not responded to requests for comment, raising concerns among human rights groups and opposition leaders about increasing political repression under President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The allegations add to fears of a crackdown on dissent in Tanzania, with critics accusing Hassan of continuing authoritarian tactics reminiscent of her predecessor.