Responding to the arrest and detention of more than a hundred youthful protestors in Uganda on Tuesday during anti-corruption protests, a chilling onslaught on protest in the region, coming hot on the heels of violent suppression of anti-government protests in Kenya, Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa said;
“The heavy-handed tactics used by the Ugandan government to stifle and silence peaceful protestors show a manifest clampdown on dissent. People in Uganda have the right to express critical views against official corruption in government and human rights violations by the state and the expression of such views should not result in imprisonment.
“Ugandan authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all those who were arrested solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly and remain unlawfully detained.
“Instead of silencing people for expressing their discontent and continuing to use unlawful force to stop peaceful protests, state authorities must address the demands of the people who are calling on them to deal with corruption among elected officials, and respect, protect and fulfil all their human rights obligations.”
Background
Tuesday’s anti-corruption protests in the capital Kampala as well as other towns in Uganda, follow mounting allegations of widespread corruption in government, especially against members of parliament, including the Speaker of Parliament in the country. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni warned on Sunday that protests would not be tolerated. On Monday police besieged opposition party headquarters ahead of the planned protests, and on Tuesday, the police arrested more than a hundred protestors in what termed a precautionary move. These protests mirror those organized by youth activists in neighboring Kenya, where the president was forced to withdraw controversial tax proposals and dissolve his cabinet.
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