Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The story of human rights defenders in Uganda cannot be complete without the mention of Counsel Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi. The soft spoken lawyer has been at the forefront of defending those whose rights have been abused. However, Rwakafuuzi has been indisposed for over a year …
Read More »UN calls on int’l community to stay united in fight against terrorism during pandemic
Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | The week-long UN Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week kicked off Monday to discuss the strategic and practical challenges of countering terrorism in a global pandemic environment. Speaking at the high-level opening session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Like the virus, terrorism does not respect national borders. It …
Read More »Norway boosts East and Horn of Africa human rights efforts
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (DefendDefenders) has entered a new partnership with the Embassy of Norway in Uganda to boost documentation of rights violations and promote accountability. The agreement, which was signed by Arne Haug, Chargé d’affaires at …
Read More »UN demands swift justice over ‘appalling’ South Sudan violence
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | A deadly upsurge in intercommunal violence in South Sudan has to stop and those responsible must be swiftly brought to justice, the UN human rights chief insisted Friday. Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations’ high commissioner for human rights, slammed the “appalling” attacks that have reportedly left hundreds dead in the …
Read More »Pandemic could create ‘human rights disaster’: UN
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The UN rights chief warned Monday that countries flouting the rule of law in the name of fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic risk sparking a “human rights disaster”. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called on countries to refrain from violating fundamental rights …
Read More »Human rights under assault worldwide: UN chief
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | UN chief Antonio Guterres launched a “call to action” on Monday against rising attacks on human rights worldwide, highlighting the persecution of minorities and “alarming levels of femicide”. “Human rights are under assault,” said the secretary general as he opened the UN Human Rights Council’s …
Read More »Human rights activists fear for 2021 elections
They say government failure to account for past abuses not a good sign Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | The Ugandan government’s continued failure to account for past human rights abuses does not bode well for the 2021 general election, Human Rights Watch said in its recent global annual review …
Read More »Rights in DR Congo still under threat a year after change, Amnesty says
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Human rights remain at threat in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Amnesty International said on Friday in a report issued a year to the day since the country underwent historic change. Militia violence, ethnic clashes and failure to hold rights abusers to account dog the …
Read More »Speaker Kadaga demands list of disciplined UPDF soldiers
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has tasked the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF to present a list of its soldiers and officers who have been disciplined for misconduct and rights violations. According to Kadaga, over time, there has been gross misconduct and the violation …
Read More »JLOS posts new gains in delivery of justice
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) has posted major gains in the administration of justice, law enforcement and promotion of human rights over the last one year. The sector registered milestones in reduction of case backlogs before courts, registration and management of new cases, …
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