KAMPALA-Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) , an umbrella body for journalists in the country has given Police two days to release Alirabaki Sengooba and Dickson Mubiru , Journalists working with Ono Bwino news paper and Grapevine News website.
According to the statement signed by Ronald Kabuye , UJA Spokesperson, the two journalists were arrested by Police as they had gone to respond to the summons which were sent to them.
“We strongly protest the continued detention of journalists Arirabaki Sengooba and Dickson Mubiru of the Grape Vine Publications and Ono Bwiino Newspaper who were arrested on Tuesday 18 June 2024 and detained at Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) while in line of duty.”
That the said arrest was based on a story published depicting a bitter row between lawyer Steven Kalali and the High Court judge Her Lordship Alexandra Nkonge Rugadya involving UNOC.
“It has since then come to our knowledge that the detainees have been put under serious grilling to disclose sources of their stories which is journalistically un ethical, un professional and unacceptable.”
Kabuye has further noted that, Press freedom as a corner stone to the growth of democracy in any society like Uganda, including freedom of expression which should be protected by the state and non-state actors as opposed to imposing limitations against the same.
“We feel that the detention of those journalists is an attempt to suppress critical journalism that seeks to provide solutions to the suspected missing gaps in the society.”
Several other media Practitioners and organizations are continuing to stand in solidarity with the detained journalists by pushing for their release or to have them produced in courts of law incase they have any charges against them.
