BREAKING: Amnesty condemns Uganda's media shutdown, arrest of activists

Africa, Crime Diary

KAMPALA, Uganda (NPA) — Amnesty International has condemned the forced closure of at least six media outlets in Uganda and the arrest and detention of scores of human rights activists, calling on authorities to end what it described as a growing crackdown on freedom of expression and association.

In a statement on Tuesday titled, “Uganda: Authorities Must Immediately End the Harassment of Activists, Allow Media to Operate Freely,” Amnesty accused Uganda’s military chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, of ordering the shutdown of media organisations and targeting government critics.

Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, said the actions represented a continuation of years of repression against independent media and civil society.

“The president’s son continues his unchecked and unjust campaign of harassment and intimidation of independent media and civil society. These latest attacks are emblematic of a years-long crackdown on freedoms of expression and association in Uganda,” Chagutah said.

He called on the military to immediately withdraw from the affected media organisations and end all forms of intimidation, interference and repression against journalists.

Amnesty also urged the Ugandan authorities to halt what it described as the misuse of the criminal justice system to target perceived critics of the government and to release all those arbitrarily detained.

The organisation specifically called for the release of opposition figures Kizza Besigye, Erias Lukwago and veteran politician Miria Matembe.

According to Amnesty, on the night of June 28, Gen. Kainerugaba ordered the closure of the Daily Monitor, NTV, Dembe FM, Spark TV, KFM and The East African without providing any official justification.

The rights group also alleged that security agents raided the Kampala residence of Matembe on June 24 after she criticised the military chief over alleged human rights violations. Kainerugaba later confirmed that she had been detained.

Amnesty further said the offices of the feminist organisation Akina Mama wa Africa (AMWA) were raided by security operatives on June 25.

It added that AMWA Executive Director Eunice Musiime and Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, were arrested on June 28 before being released without charge.