At least 42 protesters appeared in court yesterday, charged with various offenses allegedly committed during a banned youth-led demonstration in the capital city.
The protesters, who were part of a march to denounce corruption and human rights abuses by lawmakers, were accused of being “idle and disorderly” and being a “common nuisance.”.
These charges have often been used by authorities to suppress protests in the country.
The defendants, who pleaded not guilty, were ordered to return to court at different dates between July 30 and August 6.
The protest, which was banned by the authorities, was led by opposition leaders, including Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform.
Wine has long accused President Yoweri Museveni of failing to prosecute corrupt officials who are loyal to him. The president has repeatedly denied condoning corruption.
The National Unity Platform headquarters were surrounded by soldiers and police during the protest, with Wine claiming that some party officials were “violently arrested”. However, he denied that the NUP was behind the protest.
Human Rights Watch has condemned the government’s response to the demonstration, saying it is a “blatant violation of the rights to peaceful assembly and free speech, guaranteed in Uganda’s constitution and international law”.
The human rights organization is calling for the charges against the protesters to be dropped and for their concerns to be heard by authorities.
“This is another example of the Ugandan government’s increasing crackdown on peaceful dissent,” said a spokesperson for HRW. “We urge the authorities to respect the rights of protesters and to address the legitimate concerns they are raising.”
The government has faced widespread criticism for its handling of corruption and human rights abuses, with many calling for greater accountability and transparency.
