A coalition of Pan-African human rights organizations is calling on the African Union, East African Community (EAC), and other regional bodies to urgently intervene following the detention and alleged torture of two activists by Tanzanian authorities.
In a joint letter signed by the Pan African Progressive Leaders’ Solidarity Network (PLSN) and over 40 other civil society groups, the organizations demand immediate answers and accountability over the disappearance of Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire and the reported torture of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was found injured and in need of medical attention at the Kenya-Tanzania border after three days in custody.
The two were part of a civil society delegation observing the high-profile treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu at the Kisutu Court in Dar es Salaam. According to the letter, Mwangi was “dumped at the Horohoro border in Kenya’s Coast Region, 162 kilometers from Lunga Lunga,” after what he described as a harrowing ordeal in Tanzanian detention. Atuhaire’s whereabouts remain unknown.
The activists’ arrests followed the deportation of six other international trial observers, including a former Chief Justice and a member of the Law Society of Kenya. Despite private assurances by Tanzanian authorities that all detainees had been deported, families and legal representatives have yet to establish contact with Atuhaire, raising alarm over her safety and wellbeing.
“This situation represents a serious breach of national and international human rights standards and signals a dangerous pattern of abductions, forced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial practices in the region,” the letter reads.
Among the demands issued by the coalition are:
- Immediate clarification on the status and location of Agather Atuhaire.
- Activation of human rights monitoring mechanisms by regional bodies.
- Bilateral engagement with Tanzania to uphold due process and rule of law.
- A joint diplomatic statement condemning the disappearances and illegal deportations.
- The deployment of diplomatic observers to follow any emerging court proceedings.
The letter was signed by Martha Karua (Kenya), Hon. Agathon Rwasa (Burundi), Hon. Zitto Kabwe (Tanzania), and organizations such as Amnesty International Kenya, Transparency International, Law Society of Kenya, and Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).
The signatories gave a 72-hour ultimatum to regional institutions to respond and act, warning that the ongoing repression threatens to undermine democratic principles and regional cooperation.
As public outcry grows across East Africa and beyond, the focus now shifts to whether the African Union and EAC will take decisive steps in defense of civil liberties and human rights in the region.
