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Tanzania Orders LGBTQ Crackdown

Tanzania Orders LGBTQ Crackdown

Dar es Salaam is the largest city in the east African country of Tanzania. As of late, Paul Makonda, a regional commissioner, ordered all suspected homosexual to be reported to authorities. A member of the commission was sent to find homosexuals through the internet in order for them to be found and arrested.

Activists for LGBTQ rights have also been known to be detained and silenced.

The country’s fight for queer rights has taken steps backwards towards severe inequality. People who are suspected of having same-gender relationships and sex can face up to 30 years in prison. The treatment of people in the custody of police has been known to be appalling. An unnamed source told The Guardian when people are taken into custody, the police will tell others “This one is gay; you can do anal sex with them because he enjoys it in the streets.” The unnamed source also explained while detained, he was given no food or water for two days.

The encouragement of sexual assault when in the hands of criminal justice officials has become a problem for known sex workers. The reason behind the ordered repression, explained Makonda, is because of the “advertising and selling of their services on the internet.” He also noted there will be mass imprisonments by the beginning of next week.

Orders such as these have been given before. As of 2016, 1.4 million people were living with HIV/AIDs in the east African country. However, Tanzania’s health ministry has ceased HIV/AIDs health services in over 20 clinics because it promoted homosexuality. AVERT states heterosexuals make up the 80 percent of the infections “and women are particularly affected.”

Nothing else has been said regarding the crackdown of homosexuals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. What is certain is injustice remains predominant when it comes to the LGBTQ community.

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