Tanzania to track, arrest gays

The Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam has announced that a committee will be put in place to track and arrest gay people, and to encourage people to report those they suspect of being gay.

The announcement also includes attempts to so-called “cure” gay people – a practice condemned as harmful, unethical and without scientific basis by the Committee against Torture and the World Health Organization.

Reacting, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said,  “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Tanzania have already been subjected to growing violence, harassment and discrimination over the past two years.

“And those defending their rights to health, to a life free from discrimination, violence and arbitrary arrest have themselves been increasingly targeted, even arrested.”

“This could turn into a witch-hunt and could be interpreted as a licence to carry out violence, intimidation, bullying, harassment and discrimination against those perceived to be LGBT.”