Latest news with #JerrySilaa
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Tanzania blocks X over ‘porn and homosexual' content, citing clash with national laws and culture
DAR ES SALAAM, June 5 — Tanzania yesterday said it had blocked access to social media platform X over the presence of pornographic content, two weeks after government-linked accounts were hacked. X announced last year that it would no longer block 'consensually produced and distributed' adult content. Tanzania's Minister of Information Jerry Silaa told a local TV station this 'contradicts our regulations'. He said X now has 'pornography and homosexuality, which are all contrary to our country's laws, culture, customs, and traditions.' Tanzania blocked access to X on May 20, which appeared to coincide with the hacking of a police account which was used to falsely announce the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The YouTube account of the country's tax authority was also inflitrated with pornographic content on the same day. The shutdown comes amid criticisms of a severe crackdown on the opposition ahead of elections in October. Social media shutdowns have been reported during past election periods. Silaa said Tanzania was monitoring content on other online platforms deemed to be in breach of the country's laws. 'If you notice in any social media, not necessarily X, that you search for a content on YouTube or other networks and it's unavailable, then know that the government is working to protect consumers,' he said. — AFP
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tanzania announces shutdown of X because of pornography
Tanzania has decided to block access to social media platform X because it allows pornographic content to be shared, the information minister has said. The content was contrary to the East African state's "laws, culture, customs, and traditions," Jerry Silaa told a local TV station. Tanzanians have reported that access to X has been restricted in the last two weeks after political tensions rose and the police account was hacked, but there has not yet been a total shutdown of the platform. A Tanzanian rights group posted on X that Silaa's comments reflected a "troubling pattern of digital repression" ahead of October's presidential and parliamentary elections. Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan's government has been accused of becoming increasingly repressive as it campaigns to remain in office. In its post, the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) said that X, then known as Twitter, faced a similar shutdown in the run-up to the 2020 election, and the "recurrence" of restrictions raised "serious concerns about the openness of digital space" in Tanzania. The popular social audio app Clubhouse and messaging service Telegram are also inaccessible without the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN), the rights group added. It said it was troubling that while the minister confirmed the government's role in blocking X, government officials and public institutions continued to use the platform. "This inconsistency confuses the public and undermines the credibility of the government's position," LHRC added. Kenyan activist speaks of 'sexual torture' in Tanzania Ugandan activist alleges she was raped in Tanzanian custody In his interview, Silaa linked the ban to X's announcement last year that it would no longer block "consensually produced and distributed" adult content. The minister was quoted as saying that X has "permitted explicit sexual material, including same-sex pornographic content" in breach of Tanzania's online "ethics guidelines. "Even on YouTube, you might notice that some content is inaccessible. That's part of our broader effort to protect consumers and ensure that all online platforms operating in our country comply with our laws," Silaa said. On 20 May, internet watchdog Netblocks reported that Tanzania had blocked X following reports that the official police account had been hacked, showing pornographic material and falsely claiming that the president had died. Pornographic content also appeared on the hacked YouTube account of the tax authority, AFP news agency reported. It is unclear who carried out the hacking, but it coincided with a government crackdown on Kenyan and Ugandan human rights campaigners who had gone to Tanzania to show solidarity with main opposition leader Tundu Lissu. He has been detained on a charge of treason after he said he would spearhead a campaign to boycott the elections if the laws were not changed to allow for a free and fair poll. Kenya's former Justice Minister Martha Karua was among those deported after arriving at the international airport in Tanzania's main city Dar es Salaam, ahead of a court appearance by Lissu. He denies the treason charge, saying the case is political. Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Uganda's Agather Atuhaire were allowed to enter, but were then detained for several days. After returning home, Atuhaire told the BBC that she had been blindfolded, "violently" stripped and sexually assaulted. On Monday, Mwangi said he too had been sexually abused in detention and was told by his torturers to say "asante" (thank you in the Swahili language) to their president. Dar es Salaam's police chief denied the allegations, saying they were "opinions" and "hearsay". Regional rights groups have called for an investigation, and Amnesty International said Tanzanian authorities should hold to account those responsible for the "inhuman" treatment. President Samia has said that her government will not tolerate activists from other East African states "meddling" in Tanzania's affairs and causing "chaos". She inherited the presidency following the 2020 death of then-President John Magufuli, and was widely praised for allowing greater political freedom. But her critics say she is showing the same authoritarian tendencies as Magufuli as she prepares to contest her first election as the ruling party's presidential candidate. The government says Tanzania is a stable democracy, and the poll will be free and fair. Kenyan president apologises to Tanzania over deportation row Could this be the end of the road for Tanzania's great survivor? Why Samia's hesitant reforms are fuelling Tanzanian political anger Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
News24
5 days ago
- General
- News24
‘Contrary to our laws': Tanzania blocks X over pornographic content
Tanzania on Wednesday said it had blocked access to social media platform X over the presence of pornographic content, two weeks after government-linked accounts were hacked. X announced last year that it would no longer block 'consensually produced and distributed' adult content. Tanzania's Minister of Information, Jerry Silaa, told a local TV station this 'contradicts our regulations'. He said X now has 'pornography and homosexuality, which are all contrary to our country's laws, culture, customs, and traditions.' Tanzania blocked access to X on 20 May, which appeared to coincide with the hacking of a police account which was used to falsely announce the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The YouTube account of the country's tax authority was also infiltrated with pornographic content on the same day. The shutdown comes amid criticisms of a severe crackdown on the opposition ahead of elections in October. Social media shutdowns have been reported during past election periods. Silaa said Tanzania was monitoring content on other online platforms deemed to be in breach of the country's laws. 'If you notice in any social media, not necessarily X, that you search for content on YouTube or other networks and it's unavailable, then know that the government is working to protect consumers,' he said. PUBLIC STATEMENT ON THE BLOCKING OF X (FORMERLY TWITTER) Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) expresses deep concern and unequivocally condemns the recent decision by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania to block access to the social media platform X (formerly… — LHRC (@humanrightstz) June 4, 2025
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
X restricted in Tanzania after police targeted by hackers
Access to the social media platform X has been restricted in Tanzania after some official accounts of government and private institutions were targeted by hackers. On Tuesday, the official police account was compromised, with sexually explicit material and false information that the president had died being posted. The police dissociated itself from the information and said an investigation was under way to identify those responsible. Hours later data from the internet monitoring organisation Netblocks showed that X was "unreachable on major internet providers" across the country. Users in Dar es Salaam, the country's biggest city, could still not access the site on Wednesday although some people in other regions indicated they were able to log on. Information Minister Jerry Silaa acknowledged the hacking and assured MPs in parliament that the affected government social media accounts had since been secured. Earlier, government spokesman Gerson Msigwa warned the people responsible that immediate action was being taken. The problems with accessing X come amid the continued uproar over the deportation of prominent Kenyans - a move that prevented them from attending the court case of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is accused of treason. On Monday, the president warned activists from its northern neighbour that she would not allow them to "meddle" in her country's affairs and cause "chaos". She spoke after Kenya's former Justice Minister Martha Karua along with some others, who had all travelled to attend Lissu's court case, were deported. Another Kenyan activist, Boniface Mwangi, and Ugandan Agather Atuhaire were arrested in Dar es Salaam by suspected military officers on Monday and their whereabouts remain unknown. Why Samia's hesitant reforms are fuelling Tanzanian political anger 'Manhandled and choked' - Tanzanian activist recounts abduction The Tanzanians searching for their grandfathers' skulls in Germany Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
X restricted in Tanzania after police targeted by hackers
Access to the social media platform X has been restricted in Tanzania after some official accounts of government and private institutions were targeted by hackers. On Tuesday, the official police account was compromised, with sexually explicit material and false information that the president had died being posted. The police dissociated itself from the information and said an investigation was under way to identify those responsible. Hours later data from the internet monitoring organisation Netblocks showed that X was "unreachable on major internet providers" across the country. Users in Dar es Salaam, the country's biggest city, could still not access the site on Wednesday although some people in other regions indicated they were able to log on. Information Minister Jerry Silaa acknowledged the hacking and assured MPs in parliament that the affected government social media accounts had since been secured. Earlier, government spokesman Gerson Msigwa warned the people responsible that immediate action was being taken. The problems with accessing X come amid the continued uproar over the deportation of prominent Kenyans - a move that prevented them from attending the court case of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is accused of treason. On Monday, the president warned activists from its northern neighbour that she would not allow them to "meddle" in her country's affairs and cause "chaos". She spoke after Kenya's former Justice Minister Martha Karua along with some others, who had all travelled to attend Lissu's court case, were deported. Another Kenyan activist, Boniface Mwangi, and Ugandan Agather Atuhaire were arrested in Dar es Salaam by suspected military officers on Monday and their whereabouts remain unknown. Why Samia's hesitant reforms are fuelling Tanzanian political anger 'Manhandled and choked' - Tanzanian activist recounts abduction The Tanzanians searching for their grandfathers' skulls in Germany Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
