All those who seek to govern Uganda should now commit themselves publicly to making human rights a reality for all Ugandans. However, anyone arrested in Uganda is at risk of torture or ill-treatment, which are endemic in police stations. The authorities themselves have publicly accused police officers of being guilty of torture and excessive use of force. Several detainees have reportedly died as a result of ill-treatment in recent years. Political prisoners and those suspected of collaborating with the armed opposition are at times held incommunicado in secret detention centres, so called ''safe houses'', or in military barracks, where they are particularly vulnerable to torture and ill-treatment.
Courts continue to impose the cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment of caning.
The Ugandan prison system does not have sufficient capacity for the number of prisoners it holds, resulting in severe overcrowding of prisons throughout the country. Many detainees are held on remand beyond statutory periods. The overcrowding is aggravated by the lack of facilities to deal with detainees' basic needs. A poor diet, poor sanitary conditions, improper sleeping arrangements and inadequate ventilation contribute to the spread of infectious diseases. Mortality rates among prisoners are high, and torture and ill-treatment by prison officers are rife.