Human Rights Commission: "Police are behaving like terrorists"
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has condemned the manner in which police is behaving and meting out brutality on citizens especially journalists.
On Thursday, police brutalised journalists who had gone to cover the trial of embattled Buyende DPC Muhammad Kirumira at the police tribunal in Naguru.
Addressing journalists in regards to the current state of affairs in regards to human rights in the country, Medi Mulumba, a UHRC commissioner said that despite repeated calls for respect of the rights and freedoms of journalists, police has continued to violate rights of the members of the fourth estate.
“The police yesterday flogged journalists who scampered for life while being chased and blocked from covering news of the court proceeding at police headquarters in Naguru,”Mulumba said.
“The high handedness by police is regrettable. They are acting like terrorists. The actions of the few bad officers are covering up the good deeds of the many officers in the police force.”
Stephen Basaliza, the acting chairperson for UHRC also cited the arrest of Top Radio journalist Richard Kasule also known as Omugagga Kamagu before being detained for a couple of days at Wandegeya police station as a violation of the right to liberty for journalists.
Kamagu was later slapped with charges related to publication of false news while on his Simbula morning show on the Bwaise based radio.
The acting UHRC chairperson said the act of arresting Kamagu was depriving the journalist of his right to personal liberty as enshrined in the Constitution.
Police however on Thursday said they had not assaulted any journalist who turned up at Naguru to cover the trial of Buyende DPC Muhammad Kirumira.
“I have spoken to the chairman Police Disciplinary Court and he confirmed to me that as far as he is concerned, no journalist was assaulted. However, they were stopped from covering the proceedings because of the excitement it kept creating on the side of the defaulter, ASP Muhammad Kirumira,” Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima said on Thursday.
Blames force over death of own officers
The Uganda Human Rights Commission also questioned the increased reports of lawlessness and acts of crime that have also been characterised by attacks on police officers and stations in various parts of the country.
Last week two police officers attached to the Field Force Unit were attacked by unknown assailants before shooting them dead and their AK47 rifles taken in Kawempe. According to Basaliza,it is appalling that trained police officers can be attacked and killed in such a manner .
“We strongly condemn these violent acts against police officers and we are concerned about the implications of the illegal guns in the hands of thugs,”the acting UHRC chairperson said.
The commission demanded an expeditious investigation into these acts of criminality and come up with a conclusive report.
