Human Rights Network for Journalists – Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)

Two radio stations – Busoga One FM and Baba FM – were shut down over alleged incitement to violence following their announcement of provisional results for Uganda’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

Human Rights Network or Journalists Uganda is concerned with newly introduced piecemeal registration requirements imposed by the Media Council of Uganda ahead of the scheduled January election.

The High Court of Uganda has awarded journalist Twaha Mukiibi US$11,000 in a suit filed against the Attorney General and the police officers who had assaulted him in 2018.

Police in Lira assaulted six journalists who were covering a standoff between the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert, and police that lasted for close to eight hours.

Journalists covering opposition politicians are prone to constant and brutal attacks by Ugandan authorities who are clamping down hard on President Museveni’s political rivals.

Ugandan journalists temporarily detained for wanting to report on the conditions faced by university students in lockdown, were asked to inform police prior to working on stories of “such a nature”.

Journalist Tom Gwebayanga of Uganda’s New Vision group was assaulted and charged with spreading harmful propaganda for a story on the theft of money assigned to funding COVID-19 activities.

The Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda commends media for timely news on the Coronavirus while urging journalists to provide accurate information.