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

Two journalists were assaulted by police while covering the arrest of an opposition Member of Parliament for Mukono Municipality, Betty Nambooze Bakireke.

In what HRNJ-Uganda describes as a “milestone in defence of media freedom”, five youth supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement party have been found guilty of assaulting three journalists who were covering the Entebbe Local Council elections.

After a court struggle dating back to 2015, four Ugandan journalists are no longer facing prison thanks, in part, to HRNJ-Uganda’s legal support.

A total of 183 deaths were recorded from July to December 2016 following clashes between protestors and security agents in Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali. To date, not one security agent has been prosecuted for any of the killings in the three countries.

A businesswoman in Kayunga District has been convicted and sentenced to a one year jail term for assaulting Sauti FM journalist Mukiibi Sula.

A former police commander is ordered to pay $282 to a journalist he assaulted, leaving many Ugandan journalists feeling like justice was not served.

Two years ago, Ugandan journalist Andrew Lwanga was attacked former police commander Joram Mwesigye. On 10 March 2017, a court will rule if Mwesigye should be sentenced on charges of assault and malicious damage to property.

78 civil society groups condemn the crackdown on dissent in the lead up to elections in Cambodia and call on the government to cease their unlawful attacks on human rights defenders.