HRNJ UGANDA

HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK FOR

JOURNALISTS - UGANDA
In Defence & Promotion of Freedom of Expression, Information & Media Freedom


10
th
July 2014
Press Statement: For Immediate Release
JOURNALIST DRAGS SENIOR POLICE COMMANDER/ OFFICER TO COURT OVER
ASSAULT.
Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U) has persistently raised concerns over the
abuse of journalists while on duty by both the State and non-state operatives. We have taken up these
matters with those concerned especially in police, army, prisons, courts of law and other agencies but
without success. In the past three years, HRNJ-Uganda has lodged over a dozen complaints with the
Police Standards Unit against errant police officers that harass media practitioners, but to date no
appropriate remedial actions are taken against these errant officers. HRNJ-U has further engaged the
Uganda Human Rights Commission to help curb this vice; unfortunately UHRC has not yet taken
action on this front.
It is against this background therefore, that HRNJ-Uganda in collaboration with the Centre for Public
Interest Law (CEPIL) and Eastern Africa Media Institute Uganda Chapter (EAMI-U) also
otherwise known as the partnership for a free press and independent media, have resolved to drag to
court the Wandegeya District Police Commander (DPC), Mr Tusingwire Ceaser, as the first culprit
for harassing and mistreating a journalist, Mr. Mulindwa Mukasa of the Associated Press and Board
Chairman of HRNJ-Uganda.
On May 20
th
2014, Mulindwa Mukasa, with support from the partners for a free press and
independent media sued Tusingwire Ceaser at the High Court of Uganda for violating Mulindwas
constitutional rights, while Tusingwire was purporting to be executing his police duties of law
enforcement.
Through his lawyers from the Centre for Legal Aid, Mulindwa argues that on November 24
th
, 2013
(When a Top Radio journalist, Kamagu was arrested), Tusingwire infringed or threatened his rights
as enshrined in Articles 23(1), 24, 26(2), 27, 29(1)(a), and (2)(a), 40(2), and 44(a) of the Uganda
Constitution when he ordered his officers to slap, unlawfully search, assault and confiscate his
gadget he used to take a photo of police officers manhandling another journalist, William Ntege aka
Kyumakyayesu at Wandegeya police station.
Mulindwa further argues that he was arbitrarily, unreasonably and unlawfully disrupted, restricted,
arrested and his material deleted from his gadget by police officers acting on the orders of
Tusingwire.




ACTION POINTS:
In his prayers, Mulindwa wants the Court to dismiss Mr. Tusiingwire Ceaser from the Uganda Police
Force, or declare him unfit to remain in Uganda Police Force, or to serve the Government of Uganda
in any official capacity specified under the Leadership Code Act, 2002. In the alternative, Mulindwa
wants the court to direct the relevant agencies of Government to take swift and severe disciplinary
action against him.
This case seeks to reverse the rising tide of intolerance against the media and protect journalists
against mistreatment and violations of their rights while on duty by law enforcement officers and
other public officials. This serves to send a strong message that any person, whether in the security
agency or public office that arbitrarily interferes with the work of journalists will be targeted
individually and held accountable.
Given the deteriorating media working environment in Uganda, HRNJ-Uganda, CEPIL and EAMI-U
have undertaken to offer joint support to journalists whose rights have been infringed upon or
threatened by the public and law enforcements officers like police, soldiers, security guards and
Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) among others by holding the perpatrators individually
liable for their unprofessional conduct. This form of support will be extended to all media houses
that are arbitrarily interfered with by public officials and institutions.
We call upon all journalists and media houses that have been subjected to abuse by public officials
acting outside their lawful mandate to come forward with their complaints so that the culprits are
pursued and held responsible for their professional misconduct and unlawful acts.
In the same vein, HRNJ-Uganda, with its two partners has filed a petition in the Constitutional court
seeking the nullification of the Press and Journalists Act of 2000 because it is unconstitutional and
curtails press freedom guaranteed in the Constitution of Uganda.
Together in pursuit of Freedom of the media and speech in Uganda

ROBERT SEMPALA
National Coordinator- HRNJ-Uganda





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