Ugandan Activist Claims Sexual Assault During Tanzanian Detention

Agather Atuhaire, arrested alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi while showing support for opposition leader Tundu Lissu in Tanzania, reported that she was raped and tortured during her detention. Both activists were detained by Tanzanian authorities, who have not commented on the allegations. Rights groups and the US government have expressed deep concern and are urging a thorough investigation.

A Ugandan activist, Agather Atuhaire, has come forward with alarming allegations of rape and torture during her detention in Tanzania. In an interview with the BBC, Atuhaire described a harrowing experience where she was arrested alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi while attempting to support opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing serious treason charges.

Atuhaire claims that during her confinement, she was blindfolded, brutally stripped, and sexually assaulted by individuals in plain clothes. She exhibited visible signs of distress, including scars from being handcuffed, and described being held incommunicado. Atuhaire recounted the torture she endured, stating, "The pain was too much," and mentioned that she was silenced with a cloth over her mouth while screams echoed from Mwangi.

Both activists were reportedly arrested after being denied entry to a court hearing in Tanzania, as President Samia Suluhu Hassan had previously warned foreign activists against interfering in Tanzanian matters. Mwangi, who was recently found at a roadside near the Kenyan border, corroborated Atuhaire's account, revealing that they were subjected to severe mistreatment and intimidation.

The Tanzanian government has remained silent regarding the allegations. However, regional human rights organizations have expressed alarm, demanding an independent investigation into the reports of mistreatment. The US Department of State's Bureau of Africa Affairs has also voiced its concerns, emphasizing the need for accountability for the human rights violations.

Following their traumatic experiences, both activists have been released from detention, with Atuhaire returning to Uganda and Mwangi safely found in Kenya. Human rights groups continue to campaign for justice and highlight the need for regional adherence to rights treaties, insisting on thorough investigations into the actions of Tanzanian authorities.