This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2013/may/21/press-freedom-uganda
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ugandan police raid newspapers to discover story's source | Ugandan police raid newspapers to discover story's source |
| (4 months later) | |
| Police in Uganda have raided two newspapers and two radio stations in a bid to discover the source of a story embarrassing to the government of President Yoweri Museveni. | Police in Uganda have raided two newspapers and two radio stations in a bid to discover the source of a story embarrassing to the government of President Yoweri Museveni. |
| On 7 May, the Daily Monitor published an article about the so-called "Muhoozi project". It claimed that there was a conspiracy to frame, or eliminate, high-ranking members of the government who do not support a plan for Museveni's son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to assume power when his father steps down. | On 7 May, the Daily Monitor published an article about the so-called "Muhoozi project". It claimed that there was a conspiracy to frame, or eliminate, high-ranking members of the government who do not support a plan for Museveni's son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to assume power when his father steps down. |
| The story was based on a leaked letter written on 29 April by the head of Uganda's intelligence service, General David Sejjusa, and sent to the director of the internal security organisation, in which he called for the plot to be investigated. | The story was based on a leaked letter written on 29 April by the head of Uganda's intelligence service, General David Sejjusa, and sent to the director of the internal security organisation, in which he called for the plot to be investigated. |
| Soon after publication, police turned up at the Monitor's offices to question the article's authors, Risdel Kasasira and Richard Wanambwa, and managing editor, Don Wanyama. They refused to reveal the source of the letter. | Soon after publication, police turned up at the Monitor's offices to question the article's authors, Risdel Kasasira and Richard Wanambwa, and managing editor, Don Wanyama. They refused to reveal the source of the letter. |
| Police then obtained a court order demanding a copy of the Sejjusa letter and disclosure of the paper's source. The Monitor refused to comply with the order, and on 20 May some 50 officers raided the paper, which shares its Kampala headquarters with other outlets owned by the Nation Media Group, including two radio stations. | Police then obtained a court order demanding a copy of the Sejjusa letter and disclosure of the paper's source. The Monitor refused to comply with the order, and on 20 May some 50 officers raided the paper, which shares its Kampala headquarters with other outlets owned by the Nation Media Group, including two radio stations. |
| According to a statement by the group, police disabled the printing press, computer servers and radio transmission equipment, and informed the staff that the offices were a crime scene. | According to a statement by the group, police disabled the printing press, computer servers and radio transmission equipment, and informed the staff that the offices were a crime scene. |
| Police also raided a tabloid newspaper, the Red Pepper, in another suburb of Kampala while searching for a source of the leaked letter. | Police also raided a tabloid newspaper, the Red Pepper, in another suburb of Kampala while searching for a source of the leaked letter. |
| Since the raids, the radio stations, KFM and Dembe FM, have been off the air. The Monitor's printing press remains down | Since the raids, the radio stations, KFM and Dembe FM, have been off the air. The Monitor's printing press remains down |
| Maria Burnett, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said: "Police should resolve legal disputes before the courts without resorting to abusive tactics to scare journalists away from politically sensitive stories. Muzzling the media is a bad way to address Uganda's political debates." | Maria Burnett, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said: "Police should resolve legal disputes before the courts without resorting to abusive tactics to scare journalists away from politically sensitive stories. Muzzling the media is a bad way to address Uganda's political debates." |
| She pointed out that the Ugandan authorities have a history of shutting down broadcasts without due process in times of political controversy. | She pointed out that the Ugandan authorities have a history of shutting down broadcasts without due process in times of political controversy. |
| Source: HRW | Source: HRW |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version