The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Human rights defenders under their umbrella the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda have asked the government to expedite the bill that protects them.
They say that the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill 2020 was only read once during the 10th Parliament and has since remained on the shelves. This came up during the 24th Human Rights Defenders Day Celebrations at Hotel Triangle in Mbarara City under the theme “Human Rights as a Pillar of Peace and a Fairer Society” on Friday.
Robert Kirenga, the Chairperson of the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda, says that they face harassment, intimidation, interference, and persecution in the course of their work noting that the Government has continued to apply laws that seek to restrict their work and silence them.
Kirenga says that much as several laws support human rights defenders like Article 38 which speaks about their activities and obligations, they want a specific law that recognizes, legitimizes, and protects their works as human rights defenders.
He says that they were happy when the Bill that protects their work made it to the floor of the 10th parliament but they are saddened that it has been shelved.
Emmanuel Momoh, the United Nations Representative has asked human rights defenders to remain devoted to pushing for economic, social, cultural, civil, political, and other rights in a collective way for individuals and society. He says the threats directed at human rights defenders undermine the principles of peace and democracy.
Mariam Wangadya, the Chairperson of Uganda Human Rights Commission who was a keynote speaker at the celebrations confirmed that Human rights defenders are threatened and harassed but asked them to utilize the desk that was set up at the Commission to address their challenges including the threats directed at them.
The National Coalition for Human Rights defenders Uganda says they have registered more than 73 cases of discrimination, Harassment, arrests, and confiscation of equipment among others for the year 2021.
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