Kampala- Amnesty International has condemned the Ugandan government for continuing to violate the human rights of leaders of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and frustrating the party’s efforts to legally challenge the results of the February 18 election as the 10-day deadline for filing presidential election petitions looms.
The rights watchdog, in a statement yesterday, condemned security forces for repeatedly arresting “the aggrieved FDC presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye” and some of his party leaders and supporters.
The human rights agency also condemned the besieging of Dr Besigye’s home and the raids on the party’s main office in the capital, Kampala.
“The FDC has a legal right to challenge the election results and it must be allowed to do so,” said Ms Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s deputy director for East Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes.
Besigye under siege
Since the results were announced on February 20, Dr Besigye has been detained without charge at police stations or at his home in Kasangati, near Kampala.
His first post-election arrest was on February 22, as he attempted to leave his home the day after he had suggested in a televised speech that he would challenge the outcome of the election in the Supreme Court.
“These arbitrary arrests are an affront to Dr Besigye’s right to freedom of movement and a clear sign of the prevailing climate of impunity and disregard for rule of law in Uganda,” Ms Jackson said.
“The Ugandan government must fully and effectively respect its own Constitution, and honour its voluntary international obligations to protect every Ugandan’s human rights, including to freedom of movement, freedom of expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly”.
On February 20, the Electoral Commission declared incumbent President Yoweri Museveni winner of the presidential election with 60.8 per cent of the vote as opposed to Dr Besigye’s 35.37%, an outcome Dr Besigye dismissed as fraudulent.
According to the police, Dr Besigye’s continued arrest was made under powers of “preventive arrest” for “utterances and activities that amount to incitement of violence and defiance of the law”.
However, the human rights watchdog has dismissed the police claim as empty and frivolous.
“Amnesty International has examined Dr Besigye’s televised remarks and does not consider him to have incited violence,” the organisation stated.
FDC headquarters were raided by police on February 19, while elections were ongoing in parts of Kampala.
Witnesses interviewed by Amnesty International said police officers fired teargas canisters at crowds gathered at the scene.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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