Journalist arrested for questioning police arrest, charged with assult.

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Human Rights Network For Journalists-Uganda

HRNJ-Uganda,

Kampala, 24th November 2013;

Journalist arrested for questioning police arrest, charged with assult.

The police at Old Kampala station, on 22nd November, 2013 arrested a journalist, Kyambadde Sam, working with a private radio station – Metro FM, and charged him with assault for following up and questioning the arrest of a suspected businessman, at Bakuli –a Kampala suburb.

“Police arrested an agricultural produce dealer at Bakuli; I followed the matter up to Old Kampala police station to get the details. As I interviewed the suspect, a policeman in civilian clothes came and started recording the interview, when I asked to know who he was, he threatened me with arrest. He called in two other officers both in civilian clothes, who arrested and detained me for close to two hours. I recorded a statement, and released on bond. They charged me with assault.” Kyambadde told HRNJ-Uganda.

Kyambadde was released upon the intervention of HRNJ-Uganda, the Station’s police commander (DPC) and other journalists. He is expected to report back at police on Monday 25th November, 2013.

The Uganda Police force has been ranked the worst perpetrators of violence against media practitioners for the last five years, although none of the culprits have been brought to book.

“The assault case against Kyambadde is a trumped up charge aimed at intimidating the journalist. The police must drop it and also stop using such charges to intimidate and scare away journalists and the public from questioning their actions.” Said the HRNJ-Uganda National Coordinator, Robert Ssempala

 

For More Information Contact;
Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Plot 18, Block 12 Stensera Road Kayanja Triangle Zone
P.O.BOX. 71314 Clock Tower Kampala. Tel: +256-414-272934 / +256-414-667627
E-mail: news@hrnjuganda.org / humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk / Website: http://www.hrnjuganda.org; BLOG: http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com

About Human Rights Network For Journalists-Uganda

HRNJ-Uganda was established in 2005 by a group of human rights-minded journalists who developed a sense of activism amidst a deteriorating context due to glaring abuses targeting the media. The network gained formal registration as an independent non-profit and non-partisan media organisation in 2006. The identity of HRNJ-Uganda lies with its diverse membership across the board including the print and electronic media, freelance investigative journalists and individuals from other professions.
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