US worried about human rights violations in Uganda

The United States has repeated its concern over the persistent violation of the rights and freedoms of Ugandan citizens and the media by the government and security forces after the February 18 election.

This was contained in a press release from the US Department of State.

Among the issues raised in the statement by the [US Department of State]( >) are the “continued detention of opposition figures without legal justification, the ongoing harassment of opposition supporters, interference in legal challenges to the election results, and the intimidation of Uganda’s media.”

The statement described these activities as “unacceptable in a free and democratic society.”

US reiterates concerns with Uganda's post-election environm't in new statement, urges UG GOVT to take prompt action pic.twitter.com/ty92wmTMBB

— NBS Television (@nbstv) March 12, 2016

Opposition candidate Kizza Besigye was arrested 4 times in eights days during the election period and was placed under house arrest for allegedly attempting to incite violence.

Besigye who was put under house arrest on February 18 was unsuccessful in filing a petition at the court within the stipulated time to challenge the results of the poll he said was flawed.

The statement also criticised a recently proposed legislation seeking to tighten government’s control of social media – a move the US described as “an attempt to further limit the country’s political space.”

The proposed legislation has however been justified by a Minister, Frank Tumwebaze who said: “The bill is intended to regulate what goes on in the communication sector for the good of Ugandans and their security”.

The United States which has a long standing relationship with Uganda is worried that the Ugandan government’s recent actions could “endanger the economic and political progress” made by the east African nation and wants the government to take prompt actions to reverse the “troubling trend”.