Break-in of the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF)’s premises

UGA 001 / 0218 / OBS 020

Break in / Assault

Uganda

February 12, 2018

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.

Descriptionof the situation:

The Observatory hasbeen informed by reliable sources about the break-in of the Human RightsAwareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF)’s premises[1].

According to the informationreceived, at around 3 am on February 9, 2018, about nine unidentifiedindividuals attempted to break-in into HRAPF’s premises, cut power to thebuilding, disabled parts of the security system and assaulted two securityguards on duty with iron bars and batons. They both sustained severe injuries,including a skull fracture to one of them. The individuals left the premisesafter HRAPF’s security providers came, and failed to take anything from HRAPF’soffices.

The Observatory recalls that it isthe second time in less than two years that HRAPF’s premises are suffering suchgruesome attack. Already, on May 22, 2016, four unidentified individuals scaledthe fence of the HRAPF premises and suffocated the security guard to death[2].To date, no effective police investigation lead to those responsible beingbrought before a court of justice. Rather, a mere police report classifying theattack as a random attack was provided.

The Observatory expresses its utmostconcern over the break-in into HRAPF’s premises and the assault of its securityguards, and fears that this would be the latest illustration of a series oftargeted attacks against human rights defenders and organisations in Uganda ina context of prevailing impunity[3].

The Observatory calls for an immediate,thorough, transparent investigation into both of the above-mentioned incidentsat HRAPF’s premises, as well as into all the other break-ins, thefts, and actsof violence against NGOs and human rights defenders in Uganda, in order toidentify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and toapply them the sanctions provided by the law.

The Observatory urges Ugandanauthorities to guarantee the respect for freedom of association and to preventany hindrance or reprisals against the work of human rights defenders andorganisations.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authoritiesin Uganda asking them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical andpsychological integrity of HRAPF representatives and related personnel, as wellas all human rights defenders in Uganda;

ii. Order an immediate, thorough, transparent investigation intoboth of the above-mentioned incidents at HRAPF’s premises and the relatedbreak-in, and all the other above-mentioned break-ins, thefts and acts ofviolence against NGOs and human rights defenders in Uganda, in order toidentify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, andapply them the sanctions provided by the law;

iii. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defendersand organisations in Uganda are able to carry out their legitimate human rightsactivities without fear of reprisals;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on HumanRights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December9, 1998, especially its Articles 1, 5 and 12.2;

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rightsand fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rightsstandards and international instruments ratified by Uganda.

Addresses:

• President Kaguta YoweriMuseveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, Fax: +256 (0) 414 436 102 / +256 41 4235459 / +256 41 4344012. E-mail: museveni@starcom.co.ug / aak@statehouse.go.ug

• GeneralJeje Odongo, Minister of Internal Affairs, Fax: +256 414343088

Mr. Obiga Kania, State Minister forInternal 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. Mike Chibita,Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairsof 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 OnyangaAparr, Permanent Mission of Uganda to the United Nations in Geneva,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: + 32 2.763.04.38. Email:ugembrus@brutele.be, info@ugandamission-benelux.org

Please also write to the diplomaticmission or embassy of Uganda in your respective country

***
Paris-Geneva, February 12, 2018,

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[at]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 / + 41 22 809 49 29

[1] HRAPF is a non-governmentalorganisation whose mission is to promote respect and observance of human rightsof marginalised groups, through advocacy, research, documentation, legalsupport and litigation.

[2] See the Observatory’s UrgentAppeal UGA 001 / 0515 / OBS 043 published on May 25, 2016.

[3] See the Observatory’s UrgentAppeal UGA 003 / 1017 / OBS 108 published on October 20, 2017.