UHRC, CSOs concerned about growing torture cases

By Jeff Andrew Lule, Mary Kansiime & Isaac Baligema     

KAMPALA - The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and civil society organisations have raised concern over the increasing cases of torture despite the Anti-Torture Act in place.

The act was passed in 2012.

UHRC says they continue to record more cases, many of which are against state actors.

"Despite having this law in place and other instruments prohibiting torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment or treatment, UHCR has realized slow progress in the appreciation and implementation by responsible stakeholders of Anti-Torture Act, including the area of criminal prosecution of perpetrators," said UHCR secretary Gordon Mwesigye.

In his keynote address presented by Paula Biraaro (UHCR's head of  Right to Health Unit, Monitoring and Inspections Directorate), Mwesigye said they have repetitively recommended to the ratification of the Optional Protocol on the UN Convention against Torture but government has done anything.

The protocol provides for complaints of violations of freedom of torture and other forms from victims of their representatives to the UN treaty body mechanism.

This was revealed during an advocacy workshop for civil society organisations and development partners on; "Increased Prosecution of Perpetrators of Torture and the Ratification of the Optional Protocol" in Kampala.

The event was organized by the local human rights body (UHRC).

'No action'

Mwesigye said there are still challenges affecting the implementation of the Anti-Torture Act.

On her part, Biraaro noted that government needs to ratify the Optional Protocol on the UN convention against Torture because there more ill-treatment of people in detention centers.

"We are recording more cases and many of them are against state actors and no action has been taken against the perpetrators.

"That's why we have embarked on sensitizing the judiciary, CSOs and other law enforcers to offer justice to survivors of torture," she added.

According to the 2014 UHRC annual report, torture cases increased from 273 complaints registered in 2013 to 357. 

The reports were mainly against state agents including the Uganda Police Force (202), Uganda Peoples' Defense Forces (74), Uganda Prisons Service (26) and private individuals (28) among others.

 The commission also raised concern over the delayed compensation of torture victims.

'Social and economic setbacks'

Patricia Nduru, director of monitoring and inspection at UHRC, said there is also need for expeditious compensation of the victims for violation of their rights.

"These compensations take long, and some people die without getting them. There is need to privatize the awarding system for the victims to get their full compensations. That's why we are proposing that perpetrators pay from their salaries," Nduru noted.

She stressed that CSOs are grassroots actors, who can help in the implementation of the law.

"We realized many people don't know this law and it's one reason why we have embarked on sensitization of different groups."

Samuel Nsubuga, the executive director, Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, said there is need for a special fund for the tortured victims.

"The acts of torture lead to social and economic setbacks. The victims are mostly poor people and without compensation on time, they lose their families, jobs and others die without support," he said.