Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire alleges she was sexually assaulted while in Tanzanian detention
Atuhaire said she was blindfolded, beaten, violently stripped, and sexually assaulted by individuals in plain clothes who detained her.
Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire has alleged that she was sexually assaulted while in detention in Tanzania, where she was held for several days before being abandoned at the border with Uganda.
In an interview with the BBC, Atuhaire said she was blindfolded, beaten, violently stripped, and sexually assaulted by individuals in plain clothes who detained her.
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She claimed the abuse began shortly after her arrest and described being handcuffed and thrown to the ground.
"The pain was too much," said Atuhaire, showing the BBC a scar from where she said she had been handcuffed. She added that her mouth was covered after she screamed during the assault.
Her rights group had earlier indicated that she showed signs of torture, and her detailed account has intensified calls for an investigation into her treatment while in custody.
Atuhaire was found on Friday, May 23, at the Mutukula border between Uganda and Tanzania.
Boniface Mwangi also alleged torture while in custody, though Atuhaire’s account includes specific claims of sexual violence.
According to the BBC, Atuhaire claims Mwangi screamed during their detention and that the people holding them threatened to circumcise him.
Both activists have accused Tanzanian authorities of torture, with Mwangi directly blaming President Samia for what they went through.
He described his experience as “the worst form of torture” and said they were threatened with public humiliation if they disclosed what had happened to them.
“I can’t walk properly,” Mwangi said while narrating his ordeal. Images circulated online showed visible injuries to his feet and body and captured him in a visibly weak condition.
The US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs issued a statement expressing deep concern over the reported mistreatment of the two activists and called for an immediate and full investigation.
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment in Tanzania of two East African activists, Atuhaire and Mwangi,” the statement read.
“We call for an immediate and full investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses.”
The US also urged East African countries to take firm steps in holding those responsible accountable.
“We urge all countries in the region to hold to account those responsible for violating human rights, including torture,” it stated.
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