The Ugandan government is continuing to violate the human rights of leaders of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and undermining the ability of their party to legally challenge the results of the 18 February elections.

Security forces have repeatedly arrested the aggrieved presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye, and some of his party leadership colleagues and supporters. They have also besieged his home, and raided the party’s main office in the capital Kampala.

“The FDC has a legal right to challenge the election results and it must be allowed to do so".

“It is unacceptable for the government to stifle a lawfully-registered party from pursuing the only legal recourse available for it to contest the electoral outcome.”

Since the results were announced, Dr Besigye has been detained without charge at police stations or at his home in Kasangati, near Kampala.

“These arbitrary arrests are an affront to Dr Besigye’s right to freedom of movement and a clear sign of the prevailing climate of impunity and disregard for rule of law in Uganda.”

The Constitution demands that when a person is arrested, they should be told the charge in the language they understand and their next of kin and lawyers should be told of their whereabouts. In other words, the incarceration should not be secret and private, but lawful.

Arbitrary arrests have created panic and demonized associating with FDC. In some cases, the party property such as computers and other documents have been seized. Police have become the law unto themselves.

The law demands that the officer seizing any property should make a record of everything taken, and both the police officer and the occupant should sign that document and keep copies.

We, therefore, expect police to conduct lawful arrests and avoid witch-hunting Ugandans.

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