50 West Nile prisons officers inducted on inmates' rights

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In a move to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights within correctional facilities in the country, the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has inducted 50 prison officers in Adjumani district.

The one-day specialised training at Bucolic 3 Hotel in Adjumani town council on September 18, 2025, focused on the safeguarding rights of the inmates. Several officers across the prison centres of Olia and Openzizi in the district attended the training.

In the training on key human rights principles, legal obligations of Uganda Prisons Services and international standards were highlighted.

Fiona Opoka, the regional human rights officer in Gulu, said the training aims at addressing human rights issues within prison facilities, especially limited access to proper health care by the inmates, prolonged detention and corporal punishments.

“Due to the offence committed by the inmates, their movement rights are being infringed on, but other rights should remain the same. It is the duty of the prisons officers to uphold without any form of discrimination to ensure every person is treated with dignity,” Opoka said.

UHRC director Byonabye Kamadi reassured the stakeholders of the commission’s commitment to ensuring rights of the inmates are upheld at the correctional facilities by the officers.

"We are here to remind them (prisons officers) of their duties and obligations to respect and protect the rights of inmates, especially in the refugee-hosting districts.

District Prisons Commander Adjumani prisons James Nzunzu said the training will have a positive impact, change the attitude of officers towards the inmates, respect for human rights and enhance professionalism in the service.

The DPC also cautioned the officers against unprofessional conduct, which is a major cause of human rights violations in the prison facilities.

During the training, several human rights issues at the Uganda prisons were highlighted, such as long distances to court, inadequate knowledge on legal services, prolonged detention, congestion at prison facilities, dilapidated infrastructures, language barrier and corruption.

Last week on September 9th, the Uganda human rights commission also held a community Baraza with refugee leaders and host communities in Mungula refugee settlement in the district on key human rights concepts including reporting of human rights violations and abuses.