A well-known Ugandan human rights defender, journalist, and activist, who was apprehended in Tanzania, alleges that he was sexually assaulted during his time in custody.
After going missing for several days following her reported detention, Agather Atuihaire was eventually discovered abandoned at the border between Uganda and Tanzania.
As reported by the BBC, Atuhaire revealed that individuals in plain clothes “blindfolded” her, after which she was struck, “violently” stripped, and sexually assaulted (raped).
Atuhaire had been held without communication in Tanzania alongside fellow Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was found at the border with his home country on Thursday.
To date, Tanzanian authorities have not issued any explanation regarding the situation.
“The pain was too muche,” Atuhaire told the BBC, showing a scar from where she claimed to have been handcuffed.
She narrated that she was “screaming so hard” that they had to cover her mouth.
Atuhaire recounted her alleged rape to the BBC in agraphic detail.
She also mentioned hearing screams from Mwangi, who was threatened with circumcision by his captors.
The two had traveled to Tanzania to express solidarity with opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who was appearing in court on treason charges.
Mwangi recounted his alleged experience in a post on X: “We had been tortured, and we were told to strip naked and to go bathe. We couldn’t walk and were told to crawl and go wash off the blood.”
Despite being granted entry into the country, Mwangi and Atuhaire were not allowed to attend the hearing and were subsequently arrested.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan had previously warned that she would not permit activists from neighboring countries to “interfere” in her nation’s affairs and create “chaos.”
