Lira;
12th/January/2012. The Human Rights Network
for Journalist-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) has petitioned the police’s Professional
Standards Unit (PSU) over the arrest of Daily Monitor’s journalist, Opio
Emmanuel and deletion of photos from his camera.
HRNJ-Uganda has asked the commandant of PSU,
Commissioner Kyomukama Samuel to carry out investigations and ensure that Opio
opens up a case file against the officers and take action against those who
violated the law. The petition was also brought to the attention of the police
chief, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura and the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
Opio, the daily Monitor correspondent based in Lira district, alleges that on the 17th
day of December 2011, while he was covering a story where the police were interrogating
four suspects arrested during a demonstration that protested UMEME’s failure to
provide power to the residents in the area, he was arrested and harassed by the
Deputy Regional Police Commander (D/RPC) for Lango region in Northern Uganda,
Alfred Tumure.
He
further alleges that Alfred Tumure the D/RPC, with the aid of two other
policemen roughed him up and slapped him before deleting all materials from his
photo camera. The complainant also claims that he was briefly arrested and
detained for two hours before the UPDF Army’s 5th Division Spokesperson Ceaser
Olweny intervened and pleaded on his behalf.
Opio’s
efforts to open up a case file against Tumure at the Lira Central Police
Station were allegedly frustrated when all the police officers including the OC
CID Tugume Godwin, one Owuni (Police no: 26351) and Mapuwe (no: 25129) along
with other plain clothed policemen turned him away, claiming that it was not
proper to institute a case against their superior who they believed had
committed no offence
If proved, these
allegations constitute a violation of the complainant’s right to freedom of
information and media freedoms under Article 29 and freedom from torture,
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment contrary to Article 24 and
44 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.
“It is therefore in the
interest of HRNJ-Uganda that these errant officers are brought to book in a
very transparent manner without any delay.”
HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala emphasized.
For
More Information Contact;
Human
Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya Road 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
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