Ugandan activist alleges she was raped whereas in Tanzanian detention

[ad_1] Warning: This story incorporates particulars of sexual assault

A Ugandan activist who was arrested and held for days in Tanzania and later discovered on the border between the 2 international locations has advised the BBC that she was raped whereas in detention.

Increasing on the sooner remarks of her rights group who mentioned she confirmed "indications of torture", Agather Atuhaire alleged that individuals wearing plain garments "blindfolded" her, after which she was hit, "violently" stripped and sexually assaulted.

Atuhaire had been held incommunicado in Tanzania alongside fellow Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was on Thursday discovered on the border along with his residence nation.

The Tanzanian authorities haven't commented.

Regional rights teams have referred to as for an investigation and the US Division of State's Bureau of Africa Affairs mentioned it was deeply involved by the reviews of the 2 activists' mistreatment.

"The ache was an excessive amount of," mentioned Atuhaire, exhibiting the BBC a scar from the place she mentioned she had been handcuffed.

She added that she was "screaming so onerous" that they needed to cowl her mouth.

Atuhaire advised the BBC about her alleged rape in graphic element.

She mentioned she additionally heard screams from Mwangi, and that these holding him had threatened to circumcise him.

The pair had gone to Tanzania to indicate solidarity with opposition chief Tundu Lissu, who appeared in courtroom on Monday after being charged with treason

Mwangi recounted his alleged expertise in a submit on X: "We had been tortured, and we had been advised to strip bare and to go bathe. We could not stroll and had been advised to crawl and go wash off the blood."

Regardless of being allowed into the nation, Mwangi and Atuhaire weren't permitted to attend the listening to and had been arrested.

On Monday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan had warned that she wouldn't enable activists from neighbouring international locations to "meddle" in her nation's affairs and trigger "chaos".

Atuhaire was discovered deserted on the border on Thursday evening after being held in custody since Monday, Agora Centre for Analysis, the Uganda-based rights group that she leads, posted on X.

Uganda's excessive commissioner to Tanzania Fred Mwesigye mentioned Atuhaire had "safely returned residence" and had been "warmly acquired by her household".

Mwangi, who was earlier discovered deserted on a roadside in northern Tanzania close to the Kenyan border, mentioned he had heard Atuhaire "groaning in ache" once they had been held collectively on Tuesday.

"Any try to talk to one another through the evening we had been tortured was met with kicks and insults. We had been faraway from the torture location in numerous automobiles," Mwangi added.

He mentioned those that had been holding them had been getting orders from a "state safety" official, who directed the activist to be given a "Tanzanian therapy".

Mwangi's disappearance had sparked widespread concern throughout Kenya, along with his household, civil society and human rights teams staging protests and demanding his launch.

On Wednesday, the Kenyan authorities formally protested in opposition to his detention, accusing the Tanzanian authorities of denying consular entry regardless of repeated requests.

Earlier on Thursday, Kenya's overseas affairs ministry issued an announcement saying it had not been capable of entry the activist.

Regional rights teams have referred to as for an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of the activists by the Tanzanian authorities and urged all East African international locations to uphold rights treaties.

The US Division of State's Bureau of Africa Affairs mentioned it was deeply involved by the reviews of the 2 activists' mistreatment, noting that Ms Atuhaire had been recognised by the division "in 2024 as an Worldwide Ladies of Braveness Awardee".

"We name for a direct and full investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses. We urge all international locations within the area to carry to account these chargeable for violating human rights, together with torture," it tweeted.