The United States has imposed sanctions on the Tanzanian police force over allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings, a move that has drawn a sharp response from the UK Foreign Office demanding accountability for activists. The sanctions, announced by the US Treasury Department, target the Tanzania Police Force and its senior officers for human rights abuses including the use of force against opposition figures and journalists. The UK Foreign Office, in a statement, said it stood with victims and called for the release of detained activists.
The diplomatic pressure marks a significant escalation in Western criticism of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government, which has faced mounting scrutiny over its crackdown on dissent. The Tanzanian government has denied the allegations, describing the sanctions as baseless and an interference in its internal affairs.
