Police officers and other state agents who break up peaceful demonstrations will be held liable as individuals and not as institutions, the Uganda Law Society has warned.
Speaking in the wake of the anti-corruption protests in Kampala, ULS president, Bernard Oundo said they are tightening the noose around police officers who violate citizens’ rights to assemble.
“Freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration are guaranteed fundamental rights under the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995. These are essential tools for building a vibrant, free, and democratic society,” Oundo said.
“The Uganda Police must investigate and hold accountable officers who arbitrarily curtail the right to peaceful assembly. ULS will not hesitate to take legal action in defence of these constitutional rights.”
Several protests in Kampala and other parts of the country have been disrupted by security agencies in the past.
Police spokesperson, Kituuma Rusoke recently said whereas in the past they have allowed a number of protests, they have turned chaotic, leading to the destruction of property, and sometimes loss of lives.
However, according to the Uganda Law Society president, recent incidents like the anti-graft protests, and the protest by FDC Katonga members on Monday were peaceful but security broke them up, which he said is against the law.
“These incidents are just a few examples of the habitual interference by the Uganda Police Force in civic gatherings, protests, or demonstrations. The constitution guarantees the right to ‘assemble and demonstrate peacefully and unarmed,’ yet these rights are under sustained attack,” he said.
“The courts have upheld these fundamental rights in various decisions. They are inherent and are not merely permitted by the state or police. The police have a duty to ensure that demonstrations are peaceful,” Oundo added.
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