Tanzania blocks X C -Pornography, says Minister of Information Jerry Siloa

Tanzania has decided to block access to the Social Media X platform as it allows you to share pornographic content, the information minister said.

The content contradicted “law, culture, customs and traditions of East Africa,” Jerry Siloa said on a local TV channel.

The Tanzanians reported that access to X has been restricted over the last two weeks after political tension has grown and the police account has been hacked but has not yet been completely shut off the platform.

A group of Tanzania’s rights posted on X that the comments of the forces reflected a “disturbing picture of digital repression” ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections in October.

President Tanzania’s government himself Suluha Hassan is accused of becoming more repressive when she is going to remain in office.

In his postThe Legal and Human Rights Center (LHRC) stated that X, which was then called Twitter, encountered a similar shutdown before the 2020 elections, and “relapse” restrictions caused “serious problems about the openness of the digital space” in Tanzania.

Popular Social Audio App Clubhouse and Telegram Service Messaging are also unavailable without the use of virtual private networks (VPN), the human rights group added.

It states that it is alarming that, while the minister confirmed the role of the government in blocking X, government officials and government agencies continued to use the platform.

“This inconsistency confuses the public and undermines the government’s position,” Lhrc added.

In her interview, Silaa linked the ban with the announcement that it would no longer block “specifically produced and common” content for adults.

Quoted minister that X “allowed obvious sexual material, including same -sex pornographic content” in violation of the guidelines of ethics on the Internet “Tanzania”.

“Even on YouTube, you may notice that some content is unavailable. This is part of our broader efforts to protect consumers and to ensure that all the Internet platforms that work in our country are in line with our laws,” Silao said.

On May 20, the Internet Varto Detblocks reports that Tanzania blocked X after the message that the official police account was hacked, showing pornographic materials and falsely stating that the president had died.

The pornographic content also appeared on the hacked YouTube account account, AFP reports.

It is unclear who carried out the burglary, but it coincided with the repression of the government on the Kenyans and Ugandan human rights defenders who went to Tanzania to demonstrate solidarity with the chief leader of the Tund Lis.

He was detained on charges of treason after he said he would head the election boycott if the laws were not changed to allow a free and fair poll.

Former Justice Minister of Kenya Martha Carois was one of the deported after arriving at the International Airport at the city of Tanzania, the gift -us -Salaam, ahead of the court’s speech.

He denies treason, saying that the case is political.

The Kansko -activist Boniface Mvangi and Uganda Atuhar’s agaters were allowed to enter, but then were detained for a few days.

Returning home, Athaier said the BBC that she had been tied to her eyes, “firmly” was thrown and sexual attacks.

On Monday, Mvangi said he was also subjected to sexual violence in the detention, and his reprimands said “Asante” (thank you in Swahili) to the president.

Police chief Gift ES Salaam denied the allegations, saying they were “opinions” and “strangers”.

Regional law groups called for an investigation, and Amnesty International said the Tanzania authorities should consider those responsible for “inhuman” treatment.

The president himself said that its government would not carry activists from other East Africa countries to “intervene” in Tanzania’s affairs and calls “chaos”.

She inherited the presidency after the death of President John Merfuli in 2020 and was praised for his permission for great political freedom.

But her critics say she demonstrates the same authoritarian tendencies as Moguful when she is preparing to challenge her first elections as a presidential candidate.

The government says Tanzania is a stable democracy and the poll will be free and fair.