POLICE SUMMON CBS JOURNALIST OVER RADIO PROGRAM

Kampala, 06^th/July/2012; the police in Uganda have summoned a political talk show journalist with the Buganda Kingdom owned radio Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) for questioning over a radio program.Meddie Nsereko Ssebuliba was summoned by the police’s media offences department at the Directorate of Crime Investigations Department (CID).The summons, issued on July 03, 2012, were signed by the police media crimes department head Fred Mirondo.

Nsereko is accused of allegedly failing to moderate a talk show he hosted on Thursday June 28, 2012 thereby allowing the panelists to de-campaign a ruling party (NRM) candidate John Chrysostom Alintuma Nsambu who is vying for the Bukoto South parliamentary by-elections. The panelists were Members of Parliament, they Included Betty Nambooze (Mukono Municipality -DP), Mohammad Nsereko (Kampala Central-NRM), Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality-DP) and Kyeyune Kasolo Haruna (Kyoteera-NRM). The seat fell vacant when court nullified the election of Mohammad Mbabaali on academic ground. DP’s Mathias Nsubuga and Nsambu are the main contestants in the race of seven candidates.

Nsereko is expected to appear at the CID headquarters in Kibuli -a Kampala suburb on Friday July 06, 2012 at 02:00PM local time.We believe that the summons for Nsereko and requiring him to testify against the politicians he hosted on radio is a direct infringement on the freedom of the press. This would erode away the confidence the public has in him as a journalist and would abuse his right to protect his sources.

"Extracting information from a journalist to implicate some people would abuse the journalism code of ethics that empowers journalists to protect their sources. Such actions by the police are illegal and an insult to the journalism profession. This would set journalists in Uganda against every politician including members of the public." said HRNJ-Uganda Programmes Coordinator Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala.

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

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