Kampala, 3rd/Jan/2011; Court in Kampala has ordered a news paper the ‘Rolling stone’ to compensate individuals whose names and faces were labeled as gays in one of its reports.
This followed the aggrieved individuals through their lawyers Henry Onoria, John Francis Onyango and Ankankwasa Edward to drag the paper to court over violating their right to privacy, the right to human dignity and protection from inhuman treatment.
On the 2nd/October/2010, the paper carried a story that was labeled as “Scandal” and under the headline “Hang them; they are after our kids!!!!! Pictures of Uganda’s 100 homos leak.”
Some extracts of the story read: A 12 months clandestine investigation into the dark world of homosexuality and lesbianism in the country has led to the full exposure of the facial appearances of leading gays in this nation.
The paper alleged to have secured 100 pictures and more were coming in a four-part series.
Delivering the judgment, the High Court judge Justice V.F. Musoke-Kibuuka issued an injunction restraining the paper and its servants from any further publications of the identities of the persons and homes of the applicant and homosexuals generally.
Justice Kibuuka found that the impugned publication threatened the rights of the applicants to respect for human dignity and protection from inhuman treatment and the right to privacy of person and home.
He also ordered the news paper to pay 1,500,000 Uganda Shillings which is equivalent to U S $ 750.00 to each victim as compensation as well as paying legal costs for the applicants.
Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) believes that the enjoyment to freedom of press and freedom of expression come with a responsibility to protect and promote other people’s rights.
“Regulatory bodies should not be targeting to close down critical media houses or arresting and sacking journalists under duress but they should neutrally enforce the licensing regulations” HRNJ-Uganda Programmes Coordinator Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala said.
We applaud court for the judgment because it will bring back the declining state of responsible media.
For More Information Contact;
Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya Road at Mengo- Kampala Opp. St. Marcelino Pre. School
P.O.BOX. 71314 Clock Tower Kampala
Tel: +256-414-272934 / +256-414-667627
E-mail: news@hrnjuganda.org
humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.hrnjuganda.org
BLOG: http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com
HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK FOR JOURNALISTS UGANDA (HRNJ-Uganda)
No comments:
Post a Comment