Human Rights Network For Journalists-Uganda: March 2013

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Prison warders assault journalists, destroy their gadgets

Rakai, 20^th/March/2013; Prison warders at Kalisizo government prison assaulted two journalists who were covering news of the escape of over 10 inmates on Monday March 18, 2013 at Kalisizo Town Council in Rakai district. The two journalists Pascal Lutabi a reporter with WBS television and the Daily Monitor and John Bosco Mulyowa who reports for the government owned media houses of Bukedde radio, Bukedde television and Bukedde newspaper were later detained at Rakai police station for over an hour. Lutabi who was badly beaten, was charged with assault before the two were released at about 10:00pm local time.

“They nearly killed me; they pounced on me and beat me as if I was a terrorist. I am feeling severe pain on the head and in the abdomen. They kicked me, boxed me, hit me with a gun butt and a stick. They destroyed my video camera. I, with my colleague had first gone to the prison reception from where the Officer in Charge of the Station turned us away. As we interviewed the nearby residents, a prison warder identified as Semata Robert came and hit me with a stick; I fell down but continued to protect my camera, until four other prison warders including one Kyomwiri Frank joined him in the beating. The scuffle lasted for over 30 minutes.” Lutabi told HRNJ-Uganda.

A medical report indicated that Lutabi had sustained 6 bruises on the head caused by a blunt object. The police retained the journalists’ video camera and photo camera, in addition to a bag that contained personal belongings.

Mulyowa told HRNJ-Uganda that a prison warder threw stones at him when he saw him recording the incident with a video camera, “I dogded the stones, and when he tried to chase me, I boarded a commercial motorcycle (boda boda) and fled. When I came back later to check on Lutabi at Kalisazo police station, I was arrested and detained for over an hour but was later released at night after recording a statement, without any charges preferred against me.” He said

“I was there and made an alarm to rescue Pascal. It happened in full view of the locals but they feared to intervene. When the police arrived at the scene, Pascal fled for dear life, but the prison warders pursued him and beat him again before the police handcuffed him and took him to Kalisizo police station.” A journalist who witnessed the incident told HRNJ-Uganda.

The police officer in charge of crime investigations in Rakai district, Rose Nabakooza told HRNJ-Uganda that the prison officers filed an assaulted case against Lutabi. “Yesterday, there were 10 inmates who escaped from prison. I don’t know what happened because I wasn’t there, but I know that these people fought. The prison warders reported a case of assault, but I released Pascal on bond because he too had been assaulted. Investigations are going on.”

“HRNJ-Uganda condemns the prison warders’ brutal assault of the journalists, it promotes mob justice. This is gross abuse of authority .The police should expeditiously investigate this matter and prosecute the culprits. Such acts are a direct attack on the freedom of the media which is provided for in the National and international laws.” Said HRNJ-Uganda National Coordinator 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 ; BLOG: http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com

Prison warders assault journalists, destroy their gadgets.

Rakai, ^20th/March/2013; Prison warders at Kalisizo government prison assaulted two journalists who were covering news of the escape of over 10 inmates on Monday March 18, 2013 at Kalisizo Town Council in Rakai district. The two journalists Pascal Lutabi a reporter with WBS television and the Daily Monitor and John Bosco Mulyowa who reports for the government owned media houses of Bukedde radio, Bukedde television and Bukedde newspaper were later detained at Rakai police station for over an hour. Lutabi who was badly beaten, was charged with assault before the two were released at about 10:00pm local time.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Human Rights Network For Journalists-Uganda: UCC bows to pressure, extends SIM cards registrati...

Human Rights Network For Journalists-Uganda: UCC bows to pressure, extends SIM cards registrati...: Kampala, 01 st /March/2013; Uganda Communications Communication has extended the SIM card registration deadline for 90 days after H...

UCC bows to pressure, extends SIM cards registration deadline

Kampala, 01^st/March/2013; Uganda Communications Communication has extended the SIM card registration deadline for 90 days after Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda and Legal Brains Trust (LBT) dragged it to court seeking an injunction not to switch off unregistered subscribers on 1^st March 2013. The matter had come up for final disposal before the Deputy Chief Registrar of the High Court Civil Division, His Worship John Eudes Keitirima on Friday 1^st March.

HRNJ-Uganda and LBT agreed with UCC and the Attorney General of Uganda to withdraw the application for a court injunction on the switch off deadline which was before His Worship John Eudes Keitirima of the High Court. UCC’s head of communications, Fred Otunnu through his lawyer, Joseph Mastiko told Court that they had extended the SIM card registration deadline by 90 (ninety) days to 29^th May, 2013 explaining that extension would not affect the hearing of the main suit due on the 20^th May, 2013 in which HRNJ-Uganda and LBT claim that the registration process is marred with irregularities, illegalities and anomalies which must be rectified.

HRNJ-Uganda and LBT through their lawyers Denis Sembuya, Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde and Mugabi Siras Kahima have also filed another application for a temporary injunction stopping UCC from setting any other arbitrary deadline until the anomalies are resolved. The application will be heard on 11 March 2013. Otunu told court that the extension of the deadline will not also affect the application for a temporary injunction.

“This is a major victory and stride made in protecting the rights of Ugandans whose freedom to communicate was at stake if UCC had deactivated their SIM cards. We implore UCC to overhaul and rectify the anomalies in the process to prevent the looming economic and social implications,” said HRNJ-Uganda’s National Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala,

According to UCC, Uganda currently has 16 million phone users and, only 70 per cent of them have reportedly registered their SIM cards.

Telecommunication companies including MTN, Warid, Uganda Telecom, Airtel and Orange on February 26^th, 2013 told the Ugandan Parliament’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) Committee that out of 16 million active subscribers, only 60 per cent had so far registered their SIM cards. They also revealed to the committee that they have encountered enormous challenges as the exercise has been marred by inconsistencies, confusion and uncertainties. They unanimously asked for an extension.