UN calls for end to crackdown on civic freedoms in Uganda
The United Nations human rights office has called on Uganda to end restrictions on civic freedoms, warning that the current climate is generating fear among opposition supporters, journalists, activists and civil society organisations.
According to Africanews, the OHCHR said limitations on civil liberties are creating a chilling effect, with critics, opposition voices and independent media groups among those affected. The Geneva-based office, which operates under the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, regularly reviews conditions in member states and publishes findings on shrinking civic space around the world.
Wider context in Uganda
Uganda, a landlocked East African country, has long faced international scrutiny over the environment for opposition activity and independent journalism. President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, has overseen a political landscape in which civil society groups and opposition movements have at times operated under tight legal and administrative constraints. Past confrontations between the government and opposition figures, including the repeated arrests of veteran politician Kizza Besigye, have drawn criticism from rights monitors over the years.
Journalists in the country have also faced charges under national security legislation, and non-governmental organisations operate under a regulatory framework that rights groups say imposes burdensome registration and reporting requirements. Independent broadcasters and online commentators have periodically reported intimidation.
The UN’s wider role
The UN’s intervention adds to a series of international statements on civic space in Uganda in recent years. The human rights office typically engages governments through a combination of quiet diplomacy and public statements, with its observations usually accompanied by recommendations on legislative reform, the treatment of detainees and the protection of journalists. Whether Kampala engages with the office’s concerns remains to be seen.
Sources
This report was written from coverage published by the following news organisations. Follow the links for the original reporting.
