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By Reuters
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) – The United States has warned its citizens in Tanzania to be cautious after the commercial capital Dar es Salaam announced a crackdown on homosexuality, a criminal offense in the country.
FILE PHOTO – A general picture shows the skyline of Tanzania's port of Dar es Salaam, July 12, 2013. REUTERS / Andrew Emmanuel / MANILA BULLETIN
In an alert on its website late on Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.
"It can be said that the laws of the United States of America and the law of homosexuality and explicit sexual activity," it said.
The alert said any U.S. citizen who was detained or arrested should ensure that the Tanzanian authorities informed the embassy.
Dar es Salaam's administrative chief Paul Makonda said on Wednesday that a special committee would seek to identify and punish homosexuals, prostitutes and online fraudsters in the city from this week.
The foreign ministry said that it is a matter of opinion and has not been approved.
"The government of the United Republic of Tanzania would like to make it clear that they are not in the position of government," the ministry said in a statement.
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Last October, at least 12 men were arrested at a Dar es Salaam hotel.
President John Magufuli has been crowned on the subject of homosexuality since winning power in 2015, and a conviction for having "carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature" could lead to a sentence of up to 30 years in jail.
Homosexuality remains taboo across much of Africa and gay people face discrimination or persecution, with rights groups often reluctant to speak publicly in defense of gay rights.
In 2016, Tanzania banned non-governmental organizations from distributing free lubricants to gays as part of efforts to control the spread of HIV / AIDS, even though some health experts warn that shutting down such outreach programs could .
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