Human rights activists want suspect 48-hour holding practice reviewed

Over 50%  of the total prison population are stuck in prisons without trial, human rights defenders want these statistics reversed.

A 2017 report by the Foundation for Human Rights Initiatives (FHRI) has revealed that the causes include but not limited to arrest before investigations, poor implementation of the mandatory bail and lack of investigative capacity.

The report indicates that the present prison population as of August 2019 stands at 59,723. Of these 59,723 people in Ugandan prisons, 31,116 are convicts, 28,324 people are remandees and 283 people are in prison for debt.

Dr Livingstone Sewanyana, FHRI director, says it is the unlawful pre trial detention exposes inmates to other human rights violation.

These statistics have been backed by the Uganda Human Rights Commission which in their annual reports indicates torture and right to personal liberty as the human rights most violated.

Theopista Twembi, the principal human rights officer at  Uganda Human Rights Commission, says there’s need to advocate for the right to bail through strategic interest litigation.

Now human rights defenders want to have further discussions on the 48 hours detention practice by the Uganda Police of suspects, the legal and practice guide to lawful pretrial detention in Uganda and the recently enacted Human Rights Enforcement Act 2019.

Fred Sekindi, the director research and advocacy at FHRI, says they intend to devise ways to use the law to deter those who violate human rights.

The human rights enforcement act 2019 that came into force on 31 st March 2019, seeks to solely hold accountable individuals who violate human rights.

The human rights defenders say respect of the 48 hours practice direction together with clear investigations before detention will lower the 44% further to reduce congestion in prisons.