Kampala, 16th/Jan/2012; Hearing of a case
lodged with Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Court four years ago by
journalists has got a new hearing date set.
The Commission has set the hearing for 07th/February/2012
at the Commission headquarters on Buganda Road in Kampala according to the latest
summons. The earlier hearing on 09th/Dec/2011 failed to take off
under unclear circumstances.
The journalists protested brutal attacks by police and other
security agencies.
In 2007, the journalists including Sam Kayiwa working with
Power FM, Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala formerly working with Radio Sapientia
and Ssemakula Richard formerly working with Bukedde newspaper among others
petitioned the Commission demanding for investigation into the violations
against journalists’ press freedoms and rights. They also urged the Commission
to take punitive measures against culprits including compensation for the
victims.
The journalists alleged in their complaint that while
covering both treason and murder trials of the opposition leader for Forum for
Democratic Change (FDC) Dr. Kizza Besigye and
the 13 Peoples’ Redemption Army (PRA) suspects at high court in Kampala
and Bushenyi, security forces sieged court and in an attempt to re-arrest the
suspects who had been granted bail, most
journalists were beaten, their equipment and valuable items like money were compulsorily confiscated and others were
blocked from accessing the court
premises.
A complaint file UHRC 52/2007 was opened against the
Attorney General for violations of freedoms and rights of the affected
journalists.
HRNJ-Uganda is
concerned about the increasing restrictions on media freedoms particularly
regarding the rights and liberties of expression, speech, conscience and
association by the police, army and other security agencies.
“After the last hearing was adjourned under unclear
circumstances, we are happy that a new date has been set and hope nothing changes
this time round. It has however come way too late when most of the victims are
almost losing hope for justice. It is
the mandate of the commission to ensure that justice is delivered to these
aggrieved journalists and to bring to book all these power stricken security
agents.” Observes the HRNJ-Uganda
litigation officer, Cathy Anite.
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
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