This page summarizes cases raised with Uganda by the Special Rapporteur between May 1, 2011, (when the Special Rapporteur took up his functions) and February 28, 2017 (the date of the last public release of communications). Communications are released to the public once per year. This page also contains observations on these communications and on responses received from Uganda. Communications and observations are divided into sections based upon which observation report they originally appeared. Each communication is referenced as urgent appeal (UA), allegation letter (AL), joint urgent appeal (JUA) and joint allegation letter (JAL) - the hyperlinks lead to these documents. This is followed by the date the communication was issued, as well as the case number and the State reply (also hyperlinked if available). Summaries and communications are published only in the language of submission (in the case of Uganda, English). First Report (May 1, 2011 to March 15, 2012) None Second Report (March 16, 2012 to February 28, 2013) Joint allegation letter, 29/03/2012. Case no. UGA 2/2012. State Reply: None to date. Alleged re-tabling of a Bill, which would violate fundamental principles and norms of international human rights law if enacted. Joint allegation letter, 31/05/2012. Case no. UGA 3/2012.... Continue reading →
Issue No. 14 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Pull the plug on televised reprisals against rights defenders in Venezuela • ‘Cambodia’s NGO Bill threatens a free and independent civil society’ – UN expert urges Senate to reject it • Burundi: UN experts call for determined Security Council action to prevent mass violence • Bahrain: Freed from jail, all charges against Nabeel Rajab must be dropped • The clamp-down on resourcing: comparing how States regulate business and civil society • ‘Lawyers need to be protected not harassed,’ UN experts urge China to halt detentions • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special Rapporteur news in brief: July-August 2015 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.6MB file) or here (2.9MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Issue 11)... Continue reading →
GENEVA – United Nations human rights expert Maina Kiai urged Ugandan legislators to hold meaningful consultations with civil society on a Bill that aims at regulating non-governmental organisations (NGO). A one-day consultation is taking place today in Kampala. “Since the Government of Uganda intends to regulate the framework governing associations, the ostensible beneficiaries of the law should be key partners of the drafting process,” Mr. Kiai said, expressing serious concern that the NGO Bill may not reflect the views of the various interested parties engaged with the consultation process. “I call on the legislators to allow more time for consultation so that all stakeholders have an opportunity to contribute to this important discussion. A day is simply not enough for discussing these weighty issues,” the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association said. The NGO Bill introduced in May and due to be debated in the coming months, seeks to repeal and replace the current Non-Governmental Organisation Registration Act Cap 113 regulating NGO activities in Uganda. “I am concerned about a number of provisions contained therein that severely restrict the right to freedom of association,” the human rights expert stated. “The vague formulation... Continue reading →
Three United Nations independent human rights experts today expressed serious concern at the passing of the Public Order Management Bill in Uganda, which prohibits protests of more than three people without prior police authorization, and authorizes police to use guns when policing public events. The UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, human rights defenders and freedom of expression urge Uganda to repeal the law passed on 6 August to prepare a new version to comply with Uganda’s international human rights obligations. “Police intimidation has no place in a free, open and democratic society,” stressed the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya. “The use of fire arms must be strictly safeguarded. The Law fails to limit firearm use; it must ensure they can only be used after exhausting all other possible means, in compliance with the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Official,” she stressed. “Several provisions of the law constitute an undue restriction on the ability for individuals to take part in public assembly,” added the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai. “Requiring prior authorization from the... Continue reading →
