Prominent Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai has been released after her alleged kidnapping in Nairobi by armed men. Her husband accuses Tanzania’s TISS of responsibility amid rising concerns over governmental repression. Sarungi Tsehai, critical of Tanzanian authorities, reiterated her safety via social media following her release, highlighting the risks faced by dissenters in the region.
Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a prominent Tanzanian human rights activist, has been released after being allegedly abducted by three armed men in Nairobi. Her husband, David Tsehai, described the incident as terrifying and accused Tanzania’s national intelligence agency, TISS, of orchestrating her kidnapping. Sarungi Tsehai expressed her gratitude for her safety via a social media message shortly after her release, highlighting the existing tensions surrounding political dissent in both Tanzania and Kenya.
The incident involving Maria Sarungi Tsehai is set against a backdrop of increasing repression faced by critics of the Tanzanian government. Since fleeing Tanzania for Nairobi four years ago, the couple has been vocal against President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, which has faced international scrutiny for human rights abuses. The abduction comes amid ongoing allegations of transnational repression targeting dissenters in the region, raising concerns about the safety of activists in both countries.
The abduction and subsequent release of Maria Sarungi Tsehai shed light on the precarious situation faced by political activists in East Africa. This incident underscores ongoing issues of government repression and the targeting of critics in Tanzania, as well as allegations of complicity by Kenyan authorities. As both governments are urged to investigate such cases, the rights of activists remain a pressing concern in the region.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
