Kampala - Eight Ugandan journalists were
detained on Monday as they marched in the capital Kampala to
protest what they said were police abuses, including beatings
and detentions, during coverage of student protests last month,
a rights group official said.
The alleged abuses took place for several days starting on
Oct. 22 after students at Uganda's largest public university,
Makerere, staged protests against planned fee increases.
A group of journalists started to march towards the
headquarters of police where they intended to deliver a petition
to the head of police, but were instead intercepted.
Flavia Diana Nandudu, a programs officer at Human Rights
Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), told Reuters eight
journalists were arrested but were released several hours later.
"We wanted to demand from police leadership that they parade
and prosecute police officers who are involved in assaulting
journalists," Nandudu said.
Eight Ugandan journalists were detained after they marched in the capital Kampala to protest what they said were police abuses.Video: Zodidi Dano / African News Agency.
Police spokesman Patrick Onyango said the journalists had
been released but refused to explain why they had been arrested.
The government of President Yoweri Museveni has over the
years been accused by rights groups of rampant rights
violations including violent crackdowns on opposition activists
and intimidation of journalists.
In power since 1986, Museveni, 75, is widely expected to
stand at the next polls in 2021 and is seen facing strong
opposition from pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine.
New York-based rights body Human Rights Watch (HRW) on
Monday accused the government of using disproportionate force in
quelling the protests and also condemned attacks on journalists.
"The Ugandan government should urgently carry out fair and
transparent investigations and hold accountable security forces
who have used excessive force," HRW said.