Kenyan human rights activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire have accused Tanzanian security officers of sexually assaulting them during their detention last month.
The two were arrested upon arrival in Dar es Salaam to attend the court appearance of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges.
Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi, Mwangi recounted being blindfolded, stripped, and sexually assaulted by interrogators who also photographed him during the ordeal.
Atuhaire said she was similarly blindfolded, bound, and assaulted before both were released near their respective borders.
Tanzanian authorities have not commented on the allegations, nor did spokespeople for Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry or Uganda’s government respond to requests for comment.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan had previously warned foreign activists against interfering in Tanzania’s affairs, though her government has stated a commitment to human rights.
Lissu, a prominent opposition figure who lost the last election to Hassan, was arrested in April over accusations of inciting rebellion ahead of October’s polls.
Critics accuse Hassan of reverting to repression tactics reminiscent of her predecessor, despite initial reforms.
The case has drawn international attention, highlighting growing tensions in Tanzania’s political landscape as elections approach.
