THREE JOURNALISTS INJURED AS POLICE ARREST OPPOSITION POLITICIANS.

Kampala, 20^th/January/2012; Three journalists who were covering the arrest of opposition politicians at Katwe, Ssezibwa and Katonga  road in Kampala have been injured following attacks from multiple sources including law enforcement officers.

Several other politicians were arrested and detained at Jinja road and Kiira Police Station and beaten by law enforcement officers including police. The arrested included the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Dr. Kiiza Besigye, MPs Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Wafula Oguttu, and Ingrid Turinawe among others.  The arrest followed an opposition meeting by politicians who were at that time matching to Katwe, a Kampala suburb where they were planning to hold a public rally. 

The victim journalists Include Michael Kigozi a journalist with Radio One and Two commonly known as Akaboozi ku bbiri, Hadijah Mwanje the Vice Chairperson of HRNJ-Uganda and a journalist with K-FM and Nasser Kayanja a journalist with Radio Simba.    

Kigozi was beaten up by a policeman at Kiira road police. He hit him with a baton about ten times on his hands and other body parts as he demanded why he had taken photos without permission.

The police had earlier in the day arrested the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and other opposition politicians over a planned opposition rally at Katwe in Uganda’s Capital Kampala. Besigye along with others had been detained at Kiira road police.

Kigozi says that the policeman mistook him for a photo journalist when he pulled out a mobile phone from his pockets at a time when a police vehicle had just arrived and packed at the police entrance.

“It was about 7:40Pm, the policemen were still ring-guarding the place, when a bus came and parked outside, I moved closer to observe. When I pulled out my mobile phone, this policeman descended on me and started hitting me with a baton demanding to know why I was taking photographs. Three other policemen joined shortly. Other policemen standing by pleaded for my innocence in vain. I was actually very shocked about this attack. It was a bit dark and I could not identify the policemen who beat me up since there was no security right at the police.” Kigozi told Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda).

He is however reluctant to pursue a legal case since he can hardly identify his attackers. He says that an apology from them, once identified would do for him. He was not injured but experienced body pains.

The Kiira road Division Police commander (DPC) Moses Ochieng told HRNJ-Uganda that he was not aware of the incident, “I am not aware of such an incident but I know Kigozi very well, so am going to investigate the matter and take punitive action against all those involved.”

In a related development, another journalist, Nasser Kayanja working with Radio Simba sustained an injury on his right leg when covering a scuffle of police trying to block the Kampala district Woman Member of Parliament, Nabbilah Naggayi from holding a political rally at Katwe in Kampala.

“I was hit by a stone during running battles between the police and Nabbilah’s supporters. Police fired tear gas to disperse them.   I was hit with a stone and sustained an injury which was treated at Mulago hospital.” Kayanja told HRNJ-Uganda.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairperson of HRNJ-Uganda, Hadijah Mwanje survived arrest along Ssezibwa road in Kampala where police had intercepted DR. Kizza Besigye and other opposition politicians.

The K-FM radio journalist and news anchor was mistaken for being Nabbilah’s young sister, prompting a plain-clothed security man to grab her by the arm.

“He approached me and pronounced me under arrest. I identified myself as a journalist but he could not listen to me and other journalists who had now taken to defending me. I was only saved by the DPC for the Central Police Station-Kampala, Norman Musinga who stopped my arrest.” Hadijah, who has been a target of the police during riots and demonstrations before, told HRNJ-Uganda.

“We are witnessing a pattern of police attacks against journalists during demonstrations. So we realize that there is a deliberate move to silence the media from documenting their brutal acts committed against demonstrators who are expressing their grievances thereby denying the people their rights to be heard. These attacks also violate media rights and freedom as prescribed in the Constitution, regional and international treaties.” noted the Programme Coordinator, Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala.

HRNJ-Uganda, strongly appeals to the Police Professional Standard Unit (PSU) to make public the findings of all the previous cases of violations against journalists filed with them as they embark on investigating these new cases which are equally important. This backlog must be cleared as soon as possible so as to expedite justice.

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

TOP TELEVISION/RADIO STAFF NOT PAID SALARIES FOR 3MONTHS.

Kampala, 18^th-January-2012; over thirty workers of Top television and Top radio have gone three months without being paid their monthly salaries.

Top TV and radio are located at Bwaise a suburb of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, and are owned by the Christian Life Church.

The workers who talked to Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter said that they have not been paid their monthly salaries for the month of October, received half payment for November and none for December.

“I am one of the most senior employees at the station but I have not got my salary to date. Am so desperate now given this hard economic situation in the country.”  The source said.

Efforts to talk to the two stations’ Managing Director Jackson Ssenyonga who is also the senior pastor of Christian Life Church were futile as he was reportedly out of the country.

He was due to meet the workers at 2:00PM on Tuesday 17^th/Jan/2012, but the meeting did not take place as he was reportedly locked up in another meeting up to late.

“We did not get any updates from the management and each of us left one by one as time went on. We have not got any explanation as to why there has been no salary payment for such a longtime.” said another source.

The Top TV Station Manager, Charles Musana told HRNJ-Uganda that as a company, they are dedicated to paying their workers in time except when they have no money.

“We are so committed to paying our staff, but this being a private media house, we sometimes fail to raise the money in time, and as such the staff should wait. We last paid them on the 13^th of this month (Jan). There could be workers with a one-and-half month arrears, but we shall pay them all.” Musana told HRNJ-Uganda.

However, some workers dismissed Musana’s version as ‘total lies’.

Top TV has over thirty workers. Top radio has a string of other upcountry stations including one in Mbale, Mbarara, Masaka, Rhino in Lira and SMJ formerly called Kampala FM which broadcasts in English.

HRNJ-Uganda has also learnt that apart from the top managers at the radio and television who have running contracts with the company, majority of the staff have no contracts at all.

“Yes it is true most of them have no contracts. It is because the Human Resource Manager who had been hired by the company left before handing the employees their work contracts.” Musana explained.

“HRNJ-Uganda has noted that for a very long period of time, journalists’ economic rights have been violated by their employers. The Constitution under Article 40 provides for the rights of persons to work under satisfactory conditions and these include remuneration. The Employment Act of 2006 also echoes the same. So as a rights-based organization, we have undertaken a research to establish the gravity of the matter and its effect on the media in Uganda. We call upon the employers in the media sector to respect and uphold the economic rights of their staff as we strive to strengthen the media in Uganda. It is also apparent that most of the freelance journalists , who in most cases contribute the most to journalistic works  do not have contracts; this is a grave infringement to their rights” Noted the HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator, Wokulira SSebaggala.

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

COURT ADJOURNS TIMOTHY KALYEGIRA CASE.

Kampala, 16^th/January/2012; Court has adjourned the hearing of a case in which Uganda Record Managing Editor Timothy Kalyegira is accused of defamation.

The City Hall Grade one Magistrate, Juliet Hatanga adjourned the case to 10^th/February because the state prosecutor failed to turn up in court.

Kalyegira, who was granted bail by the court, has been under police harassment since Aug 3rd 2010, where he has been summoned to report to Kira road police station for more than 18 times.

The defense lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi wants court to dismiss the case on grounds that the charge sheet does not clearly explain what exactly the accused did that defamed the person of the president. “It is ambiguous and therefore my client can not defend himself against a case that he is not sure about. So court should dismiss it because it is wastage of time,” explains Rwakafuzi.

Prosecution alleges that on 12th and 16th July 2010 in Kampala district, with intent to defame the person of the president, Kalyegira unlawfully published defamatory matter on the Uganda Records, an online publication when he published that government was behind the plantation of the bombs that went off on July/11th killing more than 80 Ugandans at the Ethiopian village in Kabalagala and Rugby Club in Lugogo.

The government came out and blamed the bombs on al-shaabab, a terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda. So it was incensed that the Uganda record publication had run a different story version. Kalyegira was interrogated by security personnel at the CID, which later on searched his home and confiscated his laptop, cell phone, internet modem and passport. The passport has since been returned to him.

Section 179 of the Penal Code Act of 1950 states “Any person who, by print, writing, painting, effigy or by any means otherwise than solely by gestures, spoken words or other sounds, unlawfully publishes any defamatory matter concerning another person, with intent to defame that other person, commits the misdemeanor termed libel”.

However this law is being challenged by a group of journalists led by Barnard Tabaire in the Supreme Court.

“Human Rights for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) believes that this is yet another measure by the government to frustrate Kalyegira’s resolve to defend himself through an expeditious court process. We therefore call on the court to dismiss the case since government is failing to prosecute it in time.” Said the HRNJ-Uganda Programme 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

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SETS NEW DATE FOR HEARING OF A JOURNALIST’S CASE LODGED FOUR YEARS AGO.

 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 07^th/February/2012 at the Commission headquarters on Buganda Road in Kampala according to the latest summons. The earlier hearing on 09^th/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

POLICE BEAT UP JOURNALIST, DELETE PHOTOS AND CHARGE HIM WITH CRIMINAL TRESPASS

Pader, 12^th/December/2012; The police in Pader have beaten up a journalist, Frank Ezaruk who is the Uganda Radio Network (URN) bureau chief for Kitgum in Northern Uganda.

Ezaruk was covering a story about the contentious land in Manilamintwiea from where people were evicted in 1920. The former Member of Parliament for Erute North Angiro Gutomoi Charles had threatened to move to that area with about 5,000 evictees, however, Police moved to block him.

Police went ahead to arrest some locals they accused of conniving with Angiro to cause chaos. So when

Ezaruk took photos of these suspects and others like the Pader district chairman, Alfred Akena while addressing the locals, four policemen in a nearby parked police pick up descended on him, grabbed his camera and started deleting the photos one by one.

“The officer in charge of operations for Pader district Onek Romeo Ojara took me over to the District Police Commander for Pader, Sabiiti Ambrose who said he had not given me permission to take any photos. Sabiiti therefore ordered that they should take my camera and detain me as well. They ordered me to sit down. When I asked for the crime I had committed, two policemen kicked me from behind until I was on the ground.” Narrated Ezaruk to HRNJ-Uganda.

Ezaruk said that after about an hour on the ground, they now wanted to tie him along with other suspects, but when he resisted saying he wasn’t a criminal, two other policemen pushed him further on the ground and tied his arm with a rope. The OC Operations however ordered to untie him moments later.

The police then immediately charged Ezaruk with criminal trespass and taking photos from a prohibited area.

“They took my statement which they wanted me to sign  without reading it back to me as required by law.

They had omitted the part where I said I had been kicked and pushed on the ground. They later included it and I signed. And I was released on bond. My arm is hurting and am suffering from serious back pain” Said Ezaruk.

When contacted, the DPC Sabiiti told HRNJ-Uganda that the journalist committed an offence when he took photos of a prohibited area without permission from the police. He threatened to prosecute Ezaruk if he misbehaves now.

“I had pardoned him but now that he is making noise, I am going to prosecute him. This issue is complicated, and this land wrangle can not be reported in the media. I had told him not to take any photos from here. So he committed a crime. But I don’t know who deleted his photos” Said Sabiiti.

Ezaruk reported back to police on 12^th/January/2012 and had his bond was extended to the 18^th/January/2012 as investigations into the alleged case continue.

“HRNJ-Uganda is currently undertaking investigations into the matter and will not hesitate to take punitive action against these police officers.”  HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala noted.

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