Media increasingly under attack- report

A report released by human rights defenders has revealed that the media was increasingly under attack.

The activists expressed fears that the situation may worsen in the run up to the 2021 polls.

The report on the midterm assessment of the state's progress in the implementation of the recommendations on human rights defenders under the second cycle of the universal periodic review (UPR) was launched by the country representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Robert Kotchani in Kampala Thursday ( October 7, 2020).

Kotchani urged stakeholders in the promotion of human rights to continuously engage the media. The years under review were between 2017 -2019.

Reviewing the report, James Nkuubi, from National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda said, for the period under review, 2018 was the peak of intimidation, harassment and violence against journalists.

He said that attacks on the media fraternity totaled to 163 cases which was an increase from 113 in 2017.

"It should be noted that these are only cases that were reported to defenders of media freedoms and as such it is possible that there were more that were not reported," he said.

The violations against members of the media fraternity varied from threats, assaults, malicious damage to their equipment, confiscation of their gadgets, arbitrary arrests, and media stations shutdown.

Nkuubi said the perpetrators of the violations were mainly governmental officials, security agencies and a few common individuals.

According to the report, the cases committed by Police against journalists, increased from 83 in 2017 to 87 in 2018.

Nine cases were filed against the regular Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) in 2018 up from zero in 2017. 

The 14 cases were filed against the Special Forces Group, an elite unit of the UPDF charged with the protection of the President and the strategic installations of the state.

While the other nine cases, were reported against the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs).

The increasing cases of criminal libel slapped against journalists according to Nkuubi, hampered the work of the media.

He said during the period, over seven journalists were charged with criminal libel and offensive communication.

"The victim stations were mainly online news publications including Eagle online, Chimp reports, Business Focus, Matooke Republic among others," he said.

The crime of libel is being challenged in the East African Court of Justice as contrary to the ideals and aspirations of the East African Community Treaty.

The report is also critical of the September 2018 incident, were journalists Ahmed Mukiibi, Muwanga Kakooza and Joseph Makumbi from Bukedde newspaper were summoned by police and coerced into revealing their sources.

This was over an article they had published in the paper on July 30, 2014 detailing a list of senior officers who had been singled out for potential assassination by an unknown criminal gang. 

Death threats against journalists increased in 2018 manifesting more prominently in Central Uganda. In Masaka district alone, 12 journalists reported death threats.

"The 12 names were typed and printed in capital letters on pieces of paper and dumped in strategic places of Masaka town in the middle of the night," he said.

The activists used the occasion to re-echo their appeal to the police to release a report into over 33 break-ins into the offices of different Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

James Kusemererwa, the head of human rights desk of the Uganda Police Force disclosed that the force was committed to the protection of human rights including those for journalists.

"The way we do it is another issue," he said.  He however urged journalists to remain committed to professionalism.

The executive director, National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda, Robert Kirenga, said there is need for political will in the promotion of human rights for all Ugandans.