There are reports that 12 men were arrested by Tanzanian authorities, over what they termed as promotion of homosexuality. Among these are one Ugandan and  two South Africans two South Africans .

According to AFP, Dar es Salaam police head Lazaro Mambosasa told journalists that the men were arrested in the city’s Peacock hotel. Mambosasa accused the men of “promoting homosexuality”, adding that, “Tanzanian law forbids this act between people of the same sex, it is a violation of our country’s laws.”

The hotel’s manger was among those arrested, apparently for providing accommodation to the men. An It’s believed the group was taking part in HIV training hosted by an international NGO.

Tanzanian LGBT activist James Wandera Ouma says  that the authorities have not revealed further information about those arrested.

“It looks like they were there for training,” he said, “but I do not have their names yet. We are trying to get the police to tell us but they refuse to say anything. We have no lawyer who can deal with it at the moment.”

Just last month, 20 individuals were arrested for “suspicion” of homosexuality at an HIV workshop in Zanzibar.

Sex acts between men are illegal in Tanzania and carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. While sex acts between women are not specifically banned in most of the country, they are illegal on the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar and are punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.

Below is a press statement as issued by Community Health Services and Advocacy (CHESA) and Strategic Litigation in Africa () ISLA in regards to the matter

PRESS STATEMENT

Dar-es-Salaam,

20 October 2017- On Tuesday, 17 October 2017, a legal consultation convened by the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) and Community Health Services and Advocacy (CHESA) was raided by the Tanzanian Police. The consultation was convened in order to get more instructions and evidence on a case that we plan to file before a court. The case concerns a challenge to government’s decision to limit the provision of certain health services that it had previously provided.

Thirteen people were detained and released on bail with no charges made. On Wednesday, the Regional Commissioner of police issued a press statement, referring to the “arrests” and stated that twelve people who were promoting homosexuality had been arrested. This mischaracterisation of a legal consultation where lawyers and their clients were discussing a very specific case to be referred to the court is unfortunate. The police had a copy of the concept note and the agenda of the consultation. Three lawyers were part of the group, that was detained, include ISLA’s executive director, Sibongile Ndashe. The bail was revoked on Friday 20 October 2017 with the view of starting the investigation afresh. All thirteen people are back in custody.

The Tanzanian Constitution enshrines the right to seek legal redress when fundamental rights have been violated (Art 30(3)). The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ rights, which Tanzania is a signatory to, also recognises an individual’s right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts violating his fundamental rights as recognised and guaranteed by conventions, laws and customs in force (Art 7(a)). Tanzania is a signatory to a number of international human rights treaties that recognizes these and other related rights.

We view this as an attempt to intimidate citizens from approaching judicial institutions when their rights have been violated, to create an environment where lawyers are afraid to provide legal representation and to ultimately create an environment where it is unthinkable to hold the state accountable for human rights violations. There is no legal basis for these proceedings. We call upon Tanzanian authorities to discontinue the ongoing persecution of lawyers and their clients. Allow citizens to access legal representation without intimidation and allow the foreign nationals whose passports have been seized to leave the country.

Issued by CHESA and ISLA

Part of this story was sourced from Mambaonline