US Sanctions Tanzanian Police Chief Over Human Rights Abuses

The United States has imposed sanctions on the police chief of Tanzania, barring him from entering the country due to alleged human rights violations committed by the police.

This announcement, made on Thursday, follows an October general election where President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured a full term with an overwhelming 97% of the vote amid a crackdown on opposition parties.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned in December that the US was reevaluating its ties with Tanzania, particularly in light of events surrounding repression and election-related violence.

The sanctions target Senior Deputy Police Commissioner Faustin Jackson Mahwere, based on credible reports indicating his involvement in human rights abuses.

Rubio highlighted a case where Tanzanian police detained, tortured, and sexually assaulted Ugandan activist Agatha Atuhale and Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi as they attended the trial of opposition figure Tundu Lissu in Dar es Salaam. This incident took place about a year ago.

Both activists were arrested in Tanzania last May and have alleged that Mahwere was responsible for their torture while in custody, before they were abandoned near the Kenya-Tanzania border.

A commission set up by President Hassan to investigate the post-election violence revealed that at least 518 individuals were killed and thousands more injured. However, rebels argue that the real toll from the recent protests, the most violent in decades, is likely much higher.

In an April report, the commission recommended looking further into the actions of police during the protests, where unarmed civilians were reportedly shot while in their homes.

After the election, internet services in Tanzania were suspended for several days, but videos showing the shootings emerged on social media once access was restored, despite police warnings against sharing such content.