KAMPALA, Uganda (KAAB TV) – In a stern condemnation of the Ugandan government’s actions, Amnesty International has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of over a hundred youthful protestors detained during Tuesday’s anti-corruption demonstrations.
This crackdown marks a significant blow to the right to peaceful protest in the region, following similar violent suppressions in neighboring Kenya.
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, criticized the government’s heavy-handed response, stating, “The heavy-handed tactics used by the Ugandan government to stifle and silence peaceful protestors show a manifest clampdown on dissent. People in Uganda have the right to express critical views against official corruption in government and human rights violations by the state and the expression of such views should not result in imprisonment.”
Chagutah emphasized the urgency of releasing those detained purely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
“Ugandan authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all those who were arrested solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly and remain unlawfully detained,” he asserted.
Instead of repressing public dissent, Chagutah urged the Ugandan government to address the root causes of the protests.
“Instead of silencing people for expressing their discontent and continuing to use unlawful force to stop peaceful protests, state authorities must address the demands of the people who are calling on them to deal with corruption among elected officials, and respect, protect and fulfil all their human rights obligations,” he said.
The protests erupted in the capital, Kampala, and other towns across Uganda in response to mounting allegations of widespread corruption within the government, particularly targeting members of parliament and the Speaker of Parliament.
The demonstrations were a manifestation of public frustration, exacerbated by President Yoweri Museveni’s warning on Sunday that protests would not be tolerated.
Preemptive actions by the police began on Monday, with the besiegement of opposition party headquarters. On Tuesday, police arrested over a hundred protestors in what they termed a precautionary move.
These actions parallel recent events in Kenya, where youth activists’ protests led to the withdrawal of controversial tax proposals and the dissolution of the cabinet by the president.
Amnesty International’s call for the release of the detained protestors underscores the growing concern over the use of force to suppress civil liberties in East Africa.
The organization continues to advocate for the protection of human rights and the upholding of democratic principles in the region.