Our website use cookies to improve and personalize your experience and to display advertisements (if any). Our website may also include cookies from third parties like Google Adsense, Google Analytics, and Youtube. By using the website, you consent to the use of cookies.

Uganda security personnel beat journalists covering petition on rights abuses

ELIAS BIRYABAREMA

UGANDAN military and police officers beat and seriously injured journalists on Wednesday as they covered the delivery of a petition about human rights violations to a United Nations office, a rights group said.

The security personnel assaulted the journalists as they covered opposition leader and pop star Bobi Wine, who was petitioning the local U.N. human rights office to investigate reported incidents of rights violations.

Police will release a statement on the incident later, a police spokesman said.

Advertisements

At least 20 journalists were hurt in the attack, with at least four sustaining deep cuts on the head that bled profusely, Stephen Bwire, Secretary General of Uganda Journalists Union, told Reuters.

“We condemn this brutal, barbaric and heinous act,” Bwire said. “The journalists were doing their duty and they were clearly identifiable as journalists, they were not hostile, they were politely covering the events.”

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, lost last month’s presidential election to incumbent Yoweri Museveni who has ruled Uganda since 1986.

He rejected the results and has filed a court case seeking annulment of the poll, which he says was rigged.

The 39-year-old singer has a large following among young people who are drawn by his youthful energy and music that he sometimes uses to criticise government.

To try to stem his growing popularity, authorities have cracked down on his supporters, using detentions, beatings and others tactics.

READ:  Tunisian groups denounce minister for calling journalists, unions, businessmen 'traitors'

At least 54 people were killed in November as security personnel battled to quell protests that broke out after Wine was detained while on a campaign trail.

“Today we went to the @UNHumanRights office in Kampala to deliver a petition against the continuing abductions, torture and murder of our supporters,” Wine tweeted on Wednesday. He accompanied the tweet with two images of some of the journalists who were assaulted.

One had a bleeding gash on the head while another also bled from the head.

Journalists have increasingly been targeted by security personnel. Bwire said they had documented at least 50 journalists who had been injured by security personnel during the election period, including one who was killed.

Advertisements
By The African Mirror

MORE FROM THIS SECTION