The current AI Human Rights Report 2019 reports on intimidation, arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of political opposition members, as well as the restriction of freedom of expression, assembly and association. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexuals continued to face persecution. Evictions were also carried out in several districts
The Public Order Management Act (POMA) passed in November 2013 allows political gatherings to be banned or dissolved. In March 2020, the Ugandan Constitutional Court already annulled part of it. At the end of November 2020, activists filed a petition with the Constitutional Court requesting that the entire law be deleted. In her opinion, it leads to numerous human rights violations. Meetings z. B. before the elections, repeatedly broken up by the police, the election candidates blocked or even arrested.
According to constructmaterials, Uganda’s police made massive headlines after it became known that not only was violence perpetrated against suspects or citizens, but torture was also repeatedly used. The President spoke out against these brutal methods and instead wants to invest in the quality of the police investigation.
An event for the by-election of a parliamentarian in Arua got completely out of control in mid-August 2018. Stones were thrown at the presidential convoy and the window of a luggage vehicle was hit. Security forces cracked down, fired sharply, one person was killed, many injured, including Bobi Wine, a parliamentarian and musician who advocates for the younger generation and has recently grown in popularity. He remained hidden from the public for several days, and accusations of torture grew louder. Acquitted by the military court for possession of arms and charged immediately for treason and arrested, but he was able to bail set free and fly abroad for treatment. HE Attilio Pacifici, EU ambassador to Uganda and the ambassadors from Germany, France, Austria and other European countries campaigned for Uganda without oppression and violence. The clashes are increasing the closer the elections, which are scheduled for January 2021, come. The popular presidential candidate is repeatedly arrested by the security forces, which regularly leads to protests from his supporters, who are often brutally suppressed by the police. In a confrontation on November 18, 2020, several people were killed and many were injured. The EU criticized Uganda for stopping the protests by force and calls for an explanation
Violence against children, but also especially against women and girls, often in the domestic sphere, is still widespread across the country. However, the government developed guidelines for medical personnel on how to deal with gender-based violence. However, only a few raped or abused women dare to take legal action against their tormentors.
A subject that has received little attention so far is violence against street children. Human Rights Watch criticizes the fact that homeless children and youth are threatened not only by older youth and adults, but also by the police, harassed in prison cells and forced to perform cleaning services for staff and fellow prisoners.
Unfortunately, human and child trafficking is also an issue in Uganda. Sometimes children with false promises are taken out of their families and then used in Kampala as street traders or even in prostitution or sold abroad. Uganda is trying to address this, laws have been passed, but only a few cases have been cleared up, too few victims have been protected and the families are also insufficiently informed.
The topic of homosexuality is ubiquitous, especially in international circles. As in many other African countries, knowledge of this way of life is hardly widespread in Uganda. Almost all adults are married and so the phenomenon often goes undetected. Despite numerous protests, especially from abroad, the controversial law, which provides for long prison terms for homosexuals and up to life imprisonment for “repeat offenders”, was passed by parliament and signed by the president in February 2014. The USA, the World Bank, the EU, the United Nations and, above all, human rights organizations have strongly criticized the law and in some cases suspended aid payments. Germany already used the budget support. The so-called anti-gay movement is supported with a lot of money and at a high level by evangelicals from the USA who want to realize their own moral standards in Uganda.
At the beginning of August 2014 the Supreme Court in Uganda completely surprisingly declared the law unconstitutional. Parliament did not have the required quorum in the vote. Nonetheless, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and intersex people continues to increase.
The Ugandan government is currently promoting the mining industry for gold mining in Karamoja. According to the constitution, the land in Karamoja belongs to its residents; these now fear for their livelihood.
So-called land grabbing is also an issue in Uganda. In 2001, more than 4,000 people were displaced in Mubende so that the Neumann Group can build a coffee plantation. Those affected are still fighting for adequate compensation.
