The United States has imposed sanctions on a senior Tanzanian police official over allegations linked to the torture and sexual assault of two East African human rights activists last year.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the official, identified as Faustine Jackson Mafwele, was sanctioned based on “credible information” connecting him to gross human rights violations.
The decision bars Mafwele from entering the United States and marks the first known sanction against a senior official under the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The sanctions are tied to allegations involving Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan human rights advocate Agather Atuhaire, who travelled to Tanzania in May last year to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Both activists were detained and later released, but later made serious allegations about their treatment in custody.
Mwangi alleged that he was beaten, humiliated, and sexually assaulted while detained, while Atuhaire also accused authorities of rape during her time in custody.
Tanzanian police previously dismissed the allegations as “opinions” and “hearsay.”
However, U.S. officials maintained that members of the Tanzanian Police Force “detained, tortured, and sexually assaulted” the activists.
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour Riley Barnes said the action was intended to ensure accountability for what Washington described as a “heinous act.”
Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said the government had not yet received official communication regarding the sanctions.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have previously called for independent investigations into the incident, citing allegations of arbitrary detention, torture, and suppression of dissent.
The sanctions come amid increasing global scrutiny of Tanzania’s human rights record, particularly following last year’s disputed general election, which triggered widespread protests and violent clashes.
A commission of inquiry reported 518 deaths during the unrest, including 197 people allegedly shot by security forces, though opposition groups dispute the figures and claim the toll may be significantly higher.
The latest development is expected to further strain diplomatic relations between Washington and Dar es Salaam as pressure mounts for accountability and reforms in Tanzania’s security and justice system.
