Court has given the UPDF, attorney general and 8 other UPDF officers up to 28th, Nov, to settle the journalists case against them.
Monday, 10th, October, 2022
Court has given the UPDF, attorney general and 8 other UPDF officers up to 28th, Nov, 2022 to settle the journalists case against them arising out of brutality meted against scribes.
Journalists body the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) with it’s members Timothy Mulungi and Henry Ssekanjako filled a petition in March last year against the UPDF, CDF, Attorney General plus 8 other individual military officers commanded by Lt. Col Napoleon, challenging brutal attack on journalists as they covered the NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine’s meeting with the UN Human Rights in Kololo, Kampala leaving Mulungi and Ssenkanjako severely injured.
The UPDF through its legal team had applied to Court for more time to settle the matter outside Court, which has not happened yet.
Now UJA’ s lawyer s Leister Kaganzi and Isaac Muwanga informed Court today that attempts to have the matter settled as requested by the respondent were futile, asking Court to prevail on them.
It was on that note that the High Court judge Bonifance Wamala gave the respondent up to 28th November to settle the matter or proceed with the case.
The UJA wants a declaration that the Respondents violated the journalists’ rights to press and other media, under Article 29(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, the right to dignity and freedom from torture, inhumane and degrading treatment under Articles 24 and 44(a) the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, The right to freedom of movement, speech, expression, conscience, opinion, assembly and association under Article 29 (1) and (2) the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 and the right to practice their profession and carry out their lawful occupation, trade or business under Article 40 (2) the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995.
The journalists also want a declaration of the cessation of the continued violation journalists’ human rights and freedoms, Verification of the true facts of the matters involved in this case and a public disclosure of the truth by and at the cost of the Respondents and a public apology including acknowledgment of the facts and acceptance of responsibility by the Respondents