We strongly protest the continued detention of journalists Arirabaki Sengooba and Dickson Mubiru of the Grape Vine Publications and Ono Bwiino Newspaper who were arrested on Tuesday 18 June 2024 and detained at Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) while in line of duty.
The dual’s detention is in relation to the publication of two news stories; the one depicting a bitter row between lawyer Steven Kalali and the High Court Judge Her Lordship Alexandra Nkonge Rugadya, and another one implicating UNOC in the alleged corruption scandals in Parliament.
Upon the journalist’s arrest and detention, they had gone to the Police responding to the summons that had required them to report themselves to the Police. Shortly after their arrest, the Police swiftly moved to their offices in Kampala Central Division, searched them out and took possession of their work tools; laptop computers and phones.
It has since then come to our knowledge that the detainees have been put under serious grilling to disclose sources of their stories which is journalistically un ethical, un professional and unacceptable.
Press freedom as a corner stone to the growth of democracy in any society like Uganda, includes freedom of expression that should be protected by the state and non-state actors as opposed to imposing limitations against the same. We feel that the detention of those journalists is an attempt to suppress critical journalism that seeks to provide solutions to the suspected missing gaps in the society.
With the view of the above, we therefore, request for un conditional release of the journalists since they have spent 2 days in Police detention without being produced before Court, hence violation of the 48-hour rule by the Constitution.
In any case, UJA is determined to defend the detainee’s rights and freedoms until they regain their freedom.
“The Pen is Mightier than the Gun”.
RONALD KABUYE, PRO/ SPOKESPERSON,
UGANDA JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (UJA)