Uganda: Political Repression Accelerates

(New York, November 23, 2005) The Ugandan government should
reverse its ban on speech and demonstrations linked to the trial of the
main opposition candidate for president, Dr. Kizza Besigye, and end
its intimidation of the courts, Human Rights Watch said today. The
government issued the ban on speech and demonstrations on
November 22 following criticism of the security forces' interference in
a hearing related to the Besigye case.

"In an eight-day span, the Ugandan government has seriously damaged
its human rights reputation by riding roughshod over the rights of
political opponents and the courts," said Jemera Rone, Uganda
researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The government has arrested the
main presidential opponent, used commandos to intimidate the
judiciary and banned all public protests, radio discussions and even
posters on the subject."

Besigye, a former presidential contender, went into a four-year exile in
South Africa after he lost the 2001 election. He was arrested on
treason and rape charges on November 14, three weeks after he
returned to Uganda to run against President Yoweri Museveni in the
March 2006 presidential race as the candidate of the opposition Forum
for Democratic Change (FDC). Following Bisegye's arrest, there were
several demonstrations in the streets of Kampala. The government
responded with teargas; one person was killed.

On November 16, the government sent 30 heavily armed commandos
in black t-shirts to intimidate a judicial hearing on a bail petition by 14
of the 22 Besigye co-defendants. The defendants, judicial personnel,
journalists, relatives and foreign diplomats observing the proceeding
were in effect held hostage as commandos occupied the courtroom in
an effort to apprehend the defendants should they be released on bail.
The Principal Judge of Uganda, Justice James Ogoola, called this
action "unprecedented" and a "day of infamy."

"One of Uganda's chief judges has denounced the government's
attempt to intimidate the judiciary with state security and military
forces," said Rone. "The government should investigate those
responsible and prosecute them for this violation of the right to a fair
trial and the independence of the judiciary."

As a result of this show of force inside the courthouse, the 14
defendants, although granted bail, refused to accept it, fearing they
would be immediately arrested and held incommunicado in military
barracks. They instead were returned to Luzira Prison. The presiding
judge in the case stepped down.

On November 18, the government responded to the principal judge's
sharp criticism of its actions in the Besigye case by banning
demonstrations anywhere in Uganda on any matter before the courts,
saying they would "interfere" with fair trial rights. The ban, issued on
November 22, preceded a much-awaited bail hearing for Dr. Besigye
himself, set for November 24. The oppressive order has been extended
to apply to all discussions of the controversial case, including radio
talk shows and seminars. Opposition activists trying to hang posters
have been arrested and the posters, denouncing the trial, have been
confiscated.

"If the government cared so much about fair trial rights, it would never
have sent armed men into the courthouse last week to intimidate the
judge and the defendants," Rone said.

The "men in black" reportedly belong to a new unit of the Joint Anti-
Terrorism Task Force which has worked closely with the U.S.
government on counterterrorism matters in the past.

"The U.S. government should cut all relations with the Ugandan
police, military and security personnel who participated in the
outrageous assault on the court," Rone said. "Intimidation of judges
and defendants cannot be tolerated."

Museveni, who has been Uganda's president ever since he came to
power as a rebel leader in 1986, is running for his third term as
president, after Parliament amended the constitution in mid-2005 to lift
the limit of two presidential terms. Besigye, who was Museveni's
personal doctor as well as a rebel and then an officer in the new
government army that Museveni founded, ran against Museveni in the
last presidential elections in 2001, which were marred by violence.
Museveni won, and Besigye garnered 26 percent of the vote.

"Opposition supporters in Uganda have a right to peacefully protest
any aspect of the judicial proceedings," said Rone. "They also have the
right to demonstrate in support of their presidential candidate's
freedom."

To view this document on the Human Rights Watch web site, please
visit: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/24/uganda12089.htm