Aronda assures rights activists on safe houses
Jun 29, 2014
The operation of safe houses to manage criminals or suspects will no longer be entertained by Government, according to the Minister of Internal Affairs.The Minister promised human rights activists that instead of safe houses, the criminals or suspects will face the law.
By Cecilia Okoth
The operation of safe houses to manage criminals or suspects will no longer be entertained by Government, according to the Minister of Internal Affairs.
The Minister promised human rights activists that instead of safe houses, the criminals or suspects will face the law.
“Safe houses have since been banned and we have learnt how to obtain evidence without torturing the victim,” said General Aronda Nyakairima.
Nyakairima was addressing several human rights activists during the commemoration of the UN international day in support of victims of torture at the Railway grounds in Kampala.
“Government has worked so hard to ensure there is rule of law by removing of extra judicial killings and the agents of torture who tortured people,” the minister assured the activists.
Nyakairima said the perpetuators of torture only have one alternative which is facing the courts of law to determine their fate.
Agaba Maguru, the acting chairperson Uganda Human Rights Commission said that there was no evidence to confirm the existence of safe houses in the country.
“We have searched for them all over but we have not found any,” Maguru said.
He said the highlights of the 2012 Torture Act indicate that perpetrators of torture will be held responsible for their acts as it is a criminal offense.
“This means that even if a father tortures his step daughter, it will be treated as a criminal offense in the courts of law,” Maguru added.
This year’s celebrations kicked off with a march through the city to the Railway celebration grounds.
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