HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.5 OF 2022
WEEKLY UPDATE ON COVID-19 AND KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIROMENT OF HRDS IN UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 7TH TO
13TH FEBRUARY 2022
Hello!
As
we all strive to promote and protect human rights in our different spaces, HRCU
is pleased to always share with you some of the indispensable stories with the aim
keeping you updated on what is within the environment where we operate.
In the course of last
week:
The
Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Anita Among was concerned about the human rights
violations in the country and she went on and requested the parliamentary
committee on human rights to carry out investigations https://www.independent.co.ug/parliament-to-investigate-human-rights-violations/.
The International Court of Justice ICJ in the Hague ruled in favor of Congo and ordered Uganda was ordered to compensate Congo a $325 in reparations https://www.independent.co.ug/icj-orders-uganda-to-pay-325-million-in-drc-case/
Satirical
novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija fled the country through the Rwanda boarder.
This was confirmed by his lawyer Mr. Eron Kiiza https://observer.ug/news/headlines/72722-torture-victim-kakwenza-flees-uganda.
Human
Watch requested Uganda to expeditiously carry out investigations into the
alleged torture of the novelist and also drop all the charges against him https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/02/11/uganda-ensure-justice-detained-tortured-author
COVID-19
UPDATES
Results
of COVID-19 tests done on 11 February 2022 confirm 58 new cases. The cumulative
confirmed cases are 162,696. The breakdown of the new cases is: 58 Alerts and
Contacts: Kampala (28), Wakiso (9), Oyam (4), Hoima (3), Nwoya (2), Kwania (2),
Busia (3), Bududa (1), Apac (1), Kalungu (1) Amuru (3), Jinja (1),49
Source:
https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG
COVID-19 EFFECTS: COVID-19
PUSHES 2.4 MILLION UGANDANS INTO POVERTY – OXFAM
At least 2.4 million people in Uganda have been
pushed into poverty due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated measures to
contain it, according to an Oxfam report that, among others, looked at
Covid-19’s impact on growth, poverty and inequality.
The Oxfam report titled “The Inequality Crisis in
East Africa: Fighting Austerity and the Pandemic”, which was released on 9th
February 2022, places Uganda among the world’s 40 most unequal countries.
Together with South Sudan and Rwanda, Uganda leads the pack in East Africa of
the countries with the highest level of inequality.
Personnel
of Local Defence Unit (LDU), a paramilitary force composed of civilians hands a
bag of flour to a woman as part of the government's food distribution effort to
people who had been affected by the lockdown in Kampala in April 2020.
COVID-19
VACCINE PRODUCTION: JOHNSON & JOHNSON TEMPORARILY
HALTS COVID-19 VACCINE OUTPUT
It is reported that Johnson & Johnson temporarily
suspended production at a key plant manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine, the New
York Times reported Tuesday 8th February 2022.
The facility in the Dutch city of Leiden halted
output late last year, according to the report, which cited people familiar
with the decision.
J&J, without confirming or denying the report,
said it had continued to fulfill delivery commitments, a company spokesman
said.
A
vial of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Government has asked rich countries
to release patent rights protection on Covid-19 vaccines so that African
countries can start to manufacture them locally . PHOTO/courtesy
COVID-19 CASES: GLOBAL COVID-19 CASES
SURPASS 400MILLION — JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Global
COVID-19 cases surpassed 400 million on Tuesday 8th, according to
data from Johns Hopkins University.
The
global case count amounted to 400,244,031, with 5,761,208 deaths worldwide, as
of 5:21 p.m. local time (2221 GMT), showed the data.
The
United States reported 77,025,027 cases and 908,262 deaths, both the highest
counts around the world, accounting for more than 19 percent of the global
cases and more than 15 percent of the global deaths.
India
recorded the world’s second largest caseload of 42,339,611, followed by Brazil
with 26,776,692 cases as well as the world’s second largest death toll of
634,057.
Covid-19 testing
Source:
https://www.independent.co.ug/global-covid-19-cases-surpass-400million-johns-hopkins-university/
KEY EMERGING ISSUES
FREEDOM FROM TORTURE: KASESE
NUP REGISTRAR SUES EX-CMI DIRECTOR OVER TORTURE
The
registrar of the National Unity Platform in Kasese district, Samuel Busindi
Masereka sought to hold the former Director of Chieftaincy of Military
Intelligence, Maj Gen. Abel Kandiho personally liable for torture inflicted on
him while in custody.
Masereka,
whose rotting feet photos circulated on social media, petitioned the Civil
Division of the High Court in Kampala, contending that he was arrested on
January 7th 2022, in Kasese town by three CMI personnel who confiscated his
phone and barred him from informing his family members about what had happened.
He
narrated that immediately after his arrest, a pistol was pointed in his mouth
and ordered to remain silent as he was dragged into a drone car and whisked to
Kasese Central Police Station and then to Kilembe police post where he spent a
night.
Through
his lawyers of PACE Advocates led by George Musisi, Masereka contended that the
actions of the respondents were an abuse of their human rights obligations to
have respect for human dignity and protection from cruel, inhuman, and
degrading treatment and punishment.
Kasese NUP Registrar Samuel Masereka at High Court. URN
photo
Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/kasese-nup-registrar-sues-ex-cmi-director-over-torture/
POLICE BOND: POLICE RELEASES NEW BOND GUIDELINES FOR SUSPECTS
Suspects will now have to be issued a receipt
before they are released on police bond in a move to address concerns of
extortion and corruption in police. This is part of the new guidelines released
by Uganda Police on how suspects can secure police bond.
The guidelines were developed by the Justice
law and order sector [JLOS] working with Uganda police force through
directorate of research planning and development. Under the new guidelines a
receipt will be issued before one is released on bond and a copy shall be
retained at the police station or post and another attached to their file.
Police spokesperson Fred
Enanga displays the new police bond receipt to the media in Kampala on Monday
Image: Robert Segawa
Source: https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/latest/2022-02-07-police-releases-new-bond-guidelines-for-suspects-/
RESPECT FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS: PARLIAMENT
TO INVESTIGATE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
The
Deputy Speaker Anita Among directed the Committee on Human Rights to
investigate the alleged human rights violations by security operatives.
On
3rd February 2022, Opposition Members of Parliament led by the
Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga walked out of Parliament protesting what
they termed as the continued violation of rights of Ugandans by security
operatives. While chairing the plenary
sitting on 8th February 2022, Anita Among gave the Committee on
Human Rights, 45 days to report back with findings on alleged human rights
violations of suspects.
The
Deputy Speaker’s directive came after a statement by the Minister of Public
Service, Muruli Mukasa in response to reports of alleged human rights violations
by security operatives. The Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee, Fox Odoi
said that the committee will undertake investigations as mandated by the Rules
of Procedure saying that MPs need to debate based on facts.
Deputy Speaker Anita
Among
Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/parliament-to-investigate-human-rights-violations/
UGANDA
VS CONGO CASE: UGANDA ORDERED TO PAY DRC SHS 1 TRILLION IN WAR REPARATIONS
The
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Uganda to pay the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) $325 million (about Shs.1 trillion) in reparation for
the 1998-2003 war. The judgment was read by the Court’s President, Justice Joan
E Donoghue yesterday Wednesday in the Hague, Netherlands.
“The court notes that
the reparation awarded to the DRC for damage to persons and to property
reflects the harm suffered by individuals and communities as a result of
Uganda’s breach of its international obligations,” read the judgment in part.
DRC dragged Uganda to the International Court in 1999 and in 2005 the court
ruled that Uganda had to pay compensation for invading Congo. The court
asked the two neighboring countries to settle compensation out of court but
negotiations failed hence returning the case to the court to determine the
reparations.
Congo demanded $11 billion in damages from a war that left hundreds of
thousands of her people dead and millions displaced.
Source:
https://observer.ug/news/headlines/72725-uganda-ordered-to-pay-drc-shs-1-trillion-in-war-reparations
KEY
TAKE AWAYS OF THE WEEK
1.
COVID-19
hasn’t been wiped out. We still need to uphold and carry on with adhering to
the safety measures of washing hands, wearing a face mask, keeping a safe
social distance especially now that every sector of the economy is fully
opened.
2.
The
move by Uganda Police Force to issue new guidelines relating to bond will help
in easing access to police bond and also reduce extortion from suspects. It’s
also important for these new guidelines to be widely disseminated to create
awareness about them among the citizens.
3.
Freedom
from torture is a non- derogable right which cannot be taken away irrespective
of any circumstance. The prohibition of torture is firmly embedded in a
number of regional and international instruments such as the UN Convention against Torture and in
national laws such as the Constitution and the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture
Act, 2012. Therefore, it’s important that we collectively speak against and
work to end acts of torture by documenting and reporting cases of torture to
authorities for possible redress.
4.
As
guided by the Speaker of Parliament, the Human Rights Committee of Parliament
should expedite its investigation into violations of human rights in the
country and give a report with recommendations that will be implemented to
improve the situation and environment in the country.
Thank
you for reading. Your feedback is always appreciated.
May
you have a productive week.
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