Uganda: Amnesty Decries ‘Harassment’ Of Activists, Media Closure

Amnesty International, a human rights group, has called on the Ugandan authorities to end the alleged harassment of activists and allow the media to operate freely.

This follows the recent arrests of Miriam Matembe, a renowned activist and women’s rights advocate; Erias Lukwago, the former mayor of Kampala and lawyer for opposition leader Kizza Besigye; and the military raid on and closure of the independent media group NTV and its sister companies and publications.

Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, said the Ugandan authorities must end what he termed the erosion of human rights. “They must stop subjecting activists to baseless investigations, end the misuse of the criminal justice system to target perceived government critics,” Chagutah said in a press statement.

The head of the human rights organisation also called on the Ugandan authorities to free all those who have been “arbitrarily” arrested and detained, including Kizza Besigye, Erias Lukwago and Miriam Matembe.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the president’s son and Uganda’s army chief, said via his X account that he had ordered the arrests and the closure of the private media, including Nation Media Group’s publications and broadcasters in the East African country.

“The president’s son continues his unchecked and unjust campaign of harassment and intimidation against independent media and civil society. These latest attacks on media outlets are emblematic of a years-long crackdown on the freedoms of expression and association in Uganda,” said the human rights organisation.

“The military must immediately withdraw from the offices of all media outlets targeted in this disturbing crackdown and immediately cease any interference, intimidation or acts of repression against journalists.”

The media group shut down by the country’s military chief said on Tuesday that it was in talks with the military to reopen, with staff still unable to access the offices, the organisation’s managing director in the country told Reuters.

Media watchdogs, human rights organisations and Uganda’s international partners have criticised the move to close the leading private media house, amid the arrests of government critics.

US Congressman Gregory Meeks, of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticised Uganda for closing Nation Media Group’s six media companies, saying the move undermines democracy.

“Moves by Ugandan officials to silence the press and human rights advocates directly undermine Ugandan democracy. The government must immediately end arbitrary detentions and attacks on media outlets.”

Recently, Uganda has experienced increasing arrests of human rights advocates, raising alarm over the country’s respect for good governance and fundamental freedoms.

In addition to the arrest of Ms Matembe, a veteran politician and political commentator, on 25 June, the offices of the feminist NGO Akina Mama wa Africa (AMWA) in Kampala were raided by security agents. Its Executive Director, Eunice Musiime, was arbitrarily arrested on 28 June, alongside Sarah Bireete, the Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Governance. They were later freed without being charged with any offence.