The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for the immediate release of Ugandan journalists Dickson Mubiru and Alirabaki Sengooba and urged authorities to drop the charges against them. This appeal follows their arrests for publishing information without a broadcast license, which CPJ views as an effort to silence critical reporting.
Mubiru, managing editor of the news website theGrapeVine, and Sengooba, a reporter for the same outlet, were charged on June 20 by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court in Kampala. Reports indicate that the charges relate to two stories detailing a dispute between lawyer Steven Kalali and High Court Judge Alexandra Nkonge Rugadya and another implicating the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) in parliamentary corruption scandals. Both journalists denied the charges and remain in Luzira Prison until their next court appearance.
The charges stem from Uganda’s 2013 communications law, which mandates that publishing without a license can result in up to a year in prison or a fine of 500,000 shillings. Despite the typically targeted television and radio broadcasting, the law’s application to online journalism in this case has raised significant concerns among press freedom advocates.
CPJ Africa Program Coordinator, Muthoki Mumo, criticized the charges as retaliatory and emphasized the necessity of revisiting laws that constrain press freedom. The Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U) has also condemned the arrest and charges, urging expedited judicial processes to ensure the journalists’ swift release.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) highlights the continuous intimidation and violence Ugandan journalists face. Those who critique the government or focus on human rights issues often encounter measures including violence, abduction, and equipment confiscation. The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) has additionally voiced protest against the detention of Mubiru and Sengooba.
As CPJ and other advocacy groups continue to monitor this case, their collective efforts underscore the ongoing struggle for journalistic rights and press freedom in Uganda.