Amnesty International: 10 men arrested in Tanzania on suspicion of being gay

Ten men were arrested in Zanzibar amid a Tanzanian crackdown against gay men and other members of the LGBT community, according to Amnesty International.

The human rights group reports that the men were attending a beach party that was raided by police officers on Saturday. Six other men reportedly escaped.

{mosads}Police had been tipped off about a gay marriage supposedly taking place on the beach, according to Amnesty International.

“This is a shocking blow following the Tanzanian government’s assurance that no one would be targeted and arrested because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity,” Amnesty International’s East Africa deputy director, Seif Magango, said in a statement Tuesday.

“We now fear these men may be subjected to forced anal examination, the government’s method of choice for ‘proving’ same-sex sexual activity among men. This must not be allowed to happen – these men must be released immediately,” Magango added.

Amnesty reports that the men are being detained at a nearby police station, but have not been charged with a crime.

The crackdown comes following statements from a regional police commissioner in the nearby port city of Dar es Salaam, on the Tanzanian mainland, who stated that his forces would begin arresting members of the LGBT community last week.

The State Department has issued a travel advisory for the region, urging American travelers to comply with local laws and request that a U.S. consulate be notified should an arrest occur.