Uganda criticized over public order Bill

             

Uganda has been criticized over provisions in the Public Order Management Bill which seek to re-introduce Police permission for public meetings.

 

In a new report dubbed “Steadfast in Protest Annual report 2011” compiled by  “Human rights defenders”, Uganda has been rapped on increasing attacks on freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

 

The report which was has been launched by Margret Sekaggya, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights defenders also noted that globally there is increasing misuse of legal frameworks against human rights defenders.

“The law is used by those in power to impede and control of human rights defenders by adopting legislation that limits freedoms of association, assembly and expression.”   

 

“ The proposed law will not only grant the Police boss (IGP)and the internal affairs minister wide discretionary powers to regulate the conduct of public meetings but also to regulate the content of the discussion at such meetings,” the report noted.

 

The report cites incidents to the run-up to general elections when freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly were severely challenged. This was coupled with the terrorist attacks in Kampala on July 11, 2010.

 

The report also cites the manner in which protests against the composition of the Electoral Commission and the walk-to work protests against rising commodity prices were “violently repressed by police and the army, using tear gas and live ammunition.”

 

Other laws criticized include the Criminal Code of Conduct and the Anti-terrorist Act of 2002 which are said to have been used to silence journalists critical of government despite the Constitutional Court’s declaration of the law as a violation of freedoms of expression.

 

Launching the report at the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)offices in Nsambya, Sekajja urged the government to domesticate the declaration of Human Rights to be conversant with the provisions that allow freedom of expression , association and assembly.’

 

“Train our Police on human rights issues. Yes there has been some training going on but we still see the brutal oppressive police,” she said.

 

Livingstone Ssewanyana the FHRI executive director said the main victims against the injustice  are journalists, lawyers, the civil society, trade unionists , citizens among others