The United States has sanctioned a senior Tanzanian police officer, Liberatus Sabas, over alleged human rights abuses involving Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer and human rights activist Agather Atuhaire. The sanctions were announced by the U.S. Department of State on May 21, 2026.
According to the State Department, Sabas, who serves as the Commissioner of Police for Tanzania's Mbeya Region, was involved in the arbitrary detention and mistreatment of Mwangi and Atuhaire. The two activists were reportedly detained in Tanzania in 2025 while traveling to a regional human rights conference.
The sanctions include a visa ban and asset freeze against Sabas, barring him from entering the United States and freezing any assets he may hold under U.S. jurisdiction. The U.S. government cited the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act as the legal basis for the action.
Boniface Mwangi is a well-known Kenyan photojournalist and activist, while Agather Atuhaire is a Ugandan lawyer and human rights defender. Their detention drew international condemnation from human rights organizations.
The Tanzanian government has not yet officially responded to the sanctions. The U.S. State Department reiterated its commitment to holding accountable those who commit human rights abuses in the region.
