In Tanzania, police have arrested a woman after a video of her hugging and kissing another woman at a party went viral online.
Her alleged crime was homosexuality. If she is convicted, she could face 30 years in prison for having “carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature.”
Though the woman is the first suspected lesbian to be arrested by Tanzanian officials for homosexuality, her detention follows a clear pattern of discrimination against gay men. Since coming to power in 2015, President John Magufuli has initiated a severe crackdown on homosexual activitiesacross the socially conservative country.
Global Citizen campaigns on the United Nation’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development, and eliminating inequalities that allow for the persecution of gay and lesbian people is implicit in goal number 10. You can take action on this issue here.
As police prepare a case against the newly arrested woman from the video, and continue their search for the second woman involved, they are also building similar cases against dozens of men charged with homosexuality who are systematically rounded up for arrest.