Administrative harassment faced by several NGOs

Assets freeze /

Restriction to freedom ofassociation /

Harassment

Uganda

October 20, 2017

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, apartnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT),requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Uganda.

New information:

The Observatory hasbeen informed by reliable sources about the administrative harassmentfaced by several NGOs that have challenged a constitutional amendment to liftpresidential age limit to allow President Yoweri Museveni, 73, to run foranother term in 2021.

According to theinformation received, on October 4, 2017, Mr. Arthur Larok, Country Director, and Mr. Bruno Ssemaganda, Head of Finance of ActionAid Uganda (AAU)[1],were summoned to appear before the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) onOctober 6, 2017, following a search of their premises on September 20, 2017(see background information). They were both further interrogated by the CID onOctober 10, 2017, although no charges have yet been levelled against them.

On October 13, 2017, theDeputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda ordered the freezing of the five accountsheld by AAU, because of the investigation the CID is conducting against theorganisation under allegations of “conspiracy to commit a felony” and “moneylaundering”.

In addition, on October11, 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs requested 27 NGOs to submit specific‘financial information’ to the NGO Bureau within a week. The informationrequested include bank statements of the organisations over the past threeyears, annual reports clearly stating activities and sources of funds from 2014to 2016, all bank account numbers and lists of directors and executivedirectors. The list of organisations includes several NGOS engaged in humanrights, humanitarian and development work: AAU, African Field EpidemiologyNetwork (AFENET), Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED),Association of Human Rights Organisations in Uganda, Be Forward Uganda,Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU), Civil SocietyBudget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), Development Network for Indigenous VoluntaryAssociations (DENIVA), Educate Uganda, Feed the Children Uganda, FinnishRefugee Council, Ford Foundation, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative(FHRI), Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), Global Refuge InternationalUganda, Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies (GLISS), Good Neighbours, HumanRights Centre Uganda (HRCU), Human Rights Network (HURINET), Mercy Corps,MIFUMI, Solidarity Uganda, Synagogue Church of All Nations, TesoAnti-Corruption Coalition, Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF), Uganda YouthNetwork (UYONET) and Uhuru Institute for Social Development.

Following the publicationof the list, on October 14, 2017, State Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr.Obiga Kania, told the press that “in fact they (the NGOs listed) should beclosed until they submit their financial information”.

The Observatory condemnthese acts of harassment against the above-mentioned defenders and NGOs, whichoccur as several of them have been critical of the constitutional amendment tolift presidential age limit, and calls upon Ugandan authorities to ensureimmediately and unconditionally that they can carry out their legitimate humanrights activities without hindrances.

Background information[2]:

On September 20, 2017,police raided the premises of AAU and Great Lakes Institute for StrategicStudies (GLISS)[3]in Kampala as well as the house of GLISS Executive Director, Mr. GodbarTumushabe.

Search warrants includedallegations of “illicit transfer of funds for funding unlawful activities”. AAUpremises were sealed off and several documents, electronic equipment and bankrelated documents were seized from both organisations. Searches were carriedout overnight until the next day at both organisations and were supposed toresume at AAU premises on September 25, 2017 at 10:00 am. However, to date nofurther searches have taken place and AAU’s premises are no longer sealed off.

Actions requested:

Please write to theauthorities in Uganda asking them to:

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the freedom of association of ActionAid Uganda by immediately and unconditionally lifting the assets freeze imposed against the NGO, s as it only aims at sanctioning its legitimate and peaceful human rights activities;

2. Put an end to all forms of harassment - including at the administrative and judicial level - against the above-mentioned NGOs as well as against all human rights defenders in Uganda and ensure in all circumstance that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals;

3. Conform to the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, in particular with its Articles 1, and 12.2;

4. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Uganda.

Addresses:

• PresidentKaguta Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, Fax: +256 (0) 414436 102 / + 256 41 4235459 / +256 41 4344012. E-mail: museveni@starcom.co.ug / aak@statehouse.go.ug

• Mr.Obija Kania, State Minister for Internal Affairs, Fax: + 256 414343088

• Mr. WilliamByaruhanga, Attorney General, and Hon. Kahinda Otafiire, Minister of Justiceand Constitutional Affairs of Uganda, Fax: + 256 41 4250829. E-Mail: mojca@africaonline.co.ug

• Mr. MikeChibita, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice andConstitutional Affairs of Uganda, Fax: +256-414-258-565/341-316, Email: admin@dpp.go.ug

• Mr.Med Kaggwa, Chairperson, Uganda Human Rights Commission, Email: uhrc@uhrc.ug Telephone: +256414348007

• Gen.Kale Kayihura, Inspector General of Police, Telephone: +256 (0) 712 755 999

• H.E.Christopher Onyanga Aparr, Permanent Mission of Uganda to the United Nations inGeneva, Switzerland. Fax: + 41 22 340 70 30. Email: mission.uganda@ties.itu.int

• H.E.Mirjam Blaak Sow, Embassy of Uganda to the EU in Brussels, Belgium. Fax: + 322.763.04.38. Email: ugembrus@brutele.be,info@ugandamission-benelux.org

Please also write to thediplomatic mission or embassy of Uganda in your respective country

***
Paris-Geneva, October 20, 2017

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appealin your reply.

The Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997by FIDH and OMCT. The objective of this programme is to prevent or remedysituations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCT areboth members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights DefendersMechanism implemented by international civil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

· Email: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Tel and fax FIDH: + 33(0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80 · Tel and fax OMCT: + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 4122 809 49 29

[1] ActionAid Uganda works tofoster human rights and fight poverty in the country.

[2] See The Observatory, FHRIand Chapter Four Uganda Joint Press Release, September 25, 2017.

[3] GLISS is an independentpolicy think tank actively involved in regional public policy and human rightsissues in the Great Lakes sub-region.