Activists call for immediate release of abducted DigiTalks journalists

Activists have called for the immediate release of the nine journalists attached to DigiTalks, an online based media platform who were 'abducted' from their office last week.

In a press conference held in Kampala on Monday, these said that the DigiTalks journalists are just young people who wanted to learn the art of journalism and their abduction sends a message to aspiring young journalists.

Nana Namata, an activist, said that if the DigiTalk team leader Norman Tumuhimbise who is a writer had cases to answer, police should have summoned him instead of abducting and holding him incommunicado.

"It is lawful for the Uganda Police which is mandated to protect and serve us, to summon him lawfully, not to go and terrorise an entire community," Namata said.

Innocent Ainebyoona, a brother to Norman Tumuhimbise said at the presser that they have not heard from later since the arrest on Thursday.

"We tried searching for them everywhere, we went to Kireka but they kept on referring us to several stations," Ainebyoona said.

Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga while addressing journalists in the weekly joint security presser told journalists that Tumuhimbise and his team were arrested on grounds of offensive communication and are being held at the Special Investigations Unit in Kireka.

Enanga said that investigations into their case is being handled by a joint task team.

Government was on Monday dragged to court to have the nine arrested journalists unconditionally released.

The nine are: Norman Tumuhimbise, Arnold Mukose, Faridah Bikobere, Jeremiah Mukiibi, Tumusiime Kato, Lilian Luwedde, Teangel Nabukeera, Rogers Turyahabwe and Jeje Wabyona.

Their lawyers led by Eron Kiiza petitioned the High Court civil division in Kampala seeking for orders for mandatory and unconditional release of the group, saying that they had been in detention for more than the mandatory 48hours.