Organizations that bring together global news publishers and editors have asked President Yoweri Museveni to stop the intimidation and harassment of journalists in Uganda.
The two bodies, World Association of Newspaper and News Publishers, and World Editors Forum also want the President to reprimand agencies like Police which have consistently abused the rights of the press.
Their concerns arise from the manner in which eight detained ‘Red Pepper’ editors and directors have been treated and the shutdown of the media outlets.
The eight were arrested on November 21, a day after ‘Red Pepper’ tabloid published a news story titled “M7 Plotting to Overthrow Kagame – Rwanda”. They have since been charged with publishing information prejudicial to national security, offensive communication, defamation and disturbing the peace of the President.
“We write to express our condemnation of the handling of this case. If the government believes that the Editors indeed committed a crime in publishing details of this story, then we respectfully remind the relevant authorities that the rule of law exists in Uganda and that due procedure therefore should be followed,” the two organization told Museveni.
This is contained in a letter written to President Museveni on December 4 by Michael Golden, the President of World Association of Newspaper and News Publishers, and David Callaway, the President of World Editors forum.
They say that detaining the ‘Red Pepper’ staff at Nalufenya police detention centre, a location used by the police to hold individuals suspected of capital offenses such as terrorism and treason “would appear to serve no other purpose but to intimidate the Red Pepper staff”.
“Such actions risk unleashing a chilling effect through the media profession in Uganda,” the letter which is also copied to the Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura further read.
The news organizations equally expressed concern over the recent interrogation by Police CID of Editors from Monitor Publication Ltd and Vision Group which they say is likely to instill further concern among journalists across the country.
“Such actions will likely lead to increase in self censorship and an understandable reluctance to pursue future stories for fear of recrimination or legal harassment.”
They further stated that actions of the security forces and legal harassment against the media for reporting on issues of critical public interest severely infringe on the freedom of the press to carry out its watchdog role.
“We call on your office to cease such methods of intimidation, to reprimand the tactics of intimidation deployed by the police and to do everything in your power to show civic leadership in calling for greater respect for the profession of journalism.”
The two associations combined represent 1,800 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries.
