At least 42 protesters appeared in court in Uganda’s capital Kampala on Tuesday following a youth-led demonstration that authorities had banned.
Earlier that day, the young demonstrators marched through the streets of Kampala to condemn alleged corruption and human rights abuses by lawmakers.
The charges against them include accusations of being “idle and disorderly” and constituting a “common nuisance,” charges frequently used by authorities to quell protests.
In court, the protesters pleaded not guilty. They were instructed to return for further hearings scheduled between July 30 and August 6.
Opposition figures, such as Bobi Wine from the National Unity Platform (NUP), have long criticized President Yoweri Museveni’s administration for alleged widespread embezzlement and misuse of government funds. They accuse Museveni of failing to prosecute corrupt officials perceived as loyal to him, a charge Museveni denies.
On Tuesday, the NUP headquarters were reportedly surrounded by soldiers and police, and Wine claimed that some party officials had been subjected to violent arrests. He denied any involvement by the NUP in organizing the protest.
Human Rights Watch condemned the Ugandan government for a “blatant violation of the rights to peaceful assembly and free speech,” guaranteed by Uganda’s constitution and international law.
HRW urged authorities to drop the charges against the protesters and instead address their grievances through dialogue.
Source: The Newsroom Africa
