JOINT STATEMENT BY WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (Defending Solidarity, Safety, and Democracy in East Africa)

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We, Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from East Africa region and members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition, express our deepest alarm and unequivocal condemnation of the recent acts of intimidation, arbitrary detention, and deportation of human rights defenders and civic leaders by the Government of Tanzania. These actions, targeting respected regional figures; including advocate Martha Karua, Kenyan lawyer, journalist Boniface Mwangi, activist Agather Atuhaire, and Emeritus Chief Justice Willy Mutunga. This represents a dangerous and escalating threat to civic space, the rule of law, and regional solidarity in East Africa.

On May 18, 2025, Ms. Agather Atuhaire traveled to Tanzania as part of a peaceful regional solidarity mission to observe the trial of opposition leader Mr. Tundu Lissu. This action, grounded in fundamental rights to freedom of movement, expression, and association, was met with violence and repression. On May 19, she was abducted from her hotel room by security agents, subjected to torture and incommunicado detention, and only resurfaced on May 22, 2025, at the Mutukula border with visible signs of abuse. Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi was similarly targeted abducted from his hotel, held incommunicado for three days and eventually left at the south Coast, Kenya Tanzania border having been brutally assaulted.

These human rights violations occurred alongside hostile public statements by the Government of United Republic of Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who characterized the defenders’ peaceful presence as foreign interference and labelled them “troublemakers.” Such rhetoric from the highest levels of government not only incites fear and public hostility toward defenders but also erodes democratic norms and regional trust.

A Regional Pattern of Intimidation

The actions of Tanzanian authorities reflect a broader, troubling trend across East Africa: the criminalization of human rights work, the shrinking of civic space, and the use of state power to silence dissent. We note with concern:

  • The use of arbitrary arrest and deportation to intimidate lawyers and civic leaders.

  • The undermining of fair trial guarantees and legal advocacy.

  • The growing impunity for violence against women human rights defenders.

  • The erosion of regional solidarity mechanisms that uphold Pan-African principles of justice, dignity, and accountability.

Violations of Legal and Ethical Obligations

Tanzania’s actions are in direct violation of its binding commitments under:

  • The East African Community (EAC) Treaty, Articles 6(d) and 7(2), which mandate the promotion of democracy, rule of law, and human rights;

  • The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including rights to expression, association, and protection of defenders;

  • The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998), which affirms the right to observe and report on human rights;

  • The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990), which guarantee the independence and protection of legal professionals.

Furthermore, these actions betray the spirit of Ubuntu—our shared African philosophy rooted in compassion, interdependence, and justice.

Our Calls to Action

1. We call on the Government of Tanzania to:

  • Immediately and unconditionally cease all intimidation, harassment, and criminalization of human rights defenders.
  • Issue a public apology and guarantee non-repetition by holding perpetrators accountable.
  • Uphold all regional and international treaty obligations, and allow observers and civil society to participate freely in democratic and legal processes.
  • Publicly denounce these violations and engage the Tanzanian authorities on the matter.
  • Initiate independent inquiries into the unlawful arrest, torture, and detention of WHRDs.
  • Strengthen regional protection mechanisms for women human rights defenders.

2. We specifically call on the African Women’s Leadership Network (AWLN) and women in leadership to reach out to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, to:

  • Break the silence and speak out against gender-based violence and repression of WHRDs, including in the case of Agather Atuhaire.

  • Reinforce a feminist ethic of care and solidarity that protects the lives, dignity, and leadership of women defenders across East Africa.

Solidarity Is Not a Crime

We remind all actors namely; governments, institutions, and citizens, that defending human rights is not a threat to sovereignty, it is a fulfilment of it. WHRDs are not enemies of the state. We are the conscience of our societies. The transnational solidarity displayed by WHRDs across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania is not interference—it is an expression of our Pan-African commitment to justice, democracy, and shared liberation.

We stand in solidarity with Agather Atuhaire, and all women human rights defenders who face repression for standing on the side of truth. We call for justice, accountability, and an end to the violent targeting of those who speak out.

Women human rights defenders are not criminals. We are protectors of life, liberty, and dignity. Our voices will not be silenced. Our solidarity will not be broken.

Under Signed organizations 

The Consortium of East African Women Human Rights Defenders Protection Networks

Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition