Human rights in Uganda

**Human rights** in **Uganda** is what it is like for people in Uganda. The goal of human rights is to get them up to international standards for all citizens. The problems are home insecurity, bad infrastructure development, a repressive government, helping the growth of global warming, and mistreatment of LGBT people, women, and children.

## Arbitrary arrest and Detention

On 16 November 2024 Ugandan agents went in to Kenya's capital Nairobi and arrested Kizza Besigye. He was jailed for unlawful having of firearms and ammunition. However he was also a opposition politician who supported more democracy in Uganda.  Amnesty International says his arrest and detention were arbitrary. He was tried in military court even though it is illegal for civilians to be tried in military court in Uganda. 36 members of his party (the Forum for Democratic Change) were arrested as terrorists arbitrarily.  Kenya had deported them to Uganda to be jailed even though they were legal immigrants.https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/east-africa-the-horn-and-great-lakes/uganda/report-uganda/

## Freedom of Expression

In 2024 February 19 police arrested Ibrahim Musana. He is a social media activist called "Pressure Pressure". Ugandan police said he had promoted hate speech, did defamation and called people to do violence. They said he tried and did give fake information on social media to attack the Kabaka. The Kabaka is the constitutional monarch of Buganda. Buganda is a part of Uganda. He payed his bail under the promise he would not say he disliked the Kabaka, President Museveni or Parliamentary speaker Joyce Sebugwawo. On April 6 a part of the Ugandan military (UPDF) arrested eight musicians for saying that the presidents speech was too long. The musicians said so in conversation to each other and the UPDF group heard it. On July 10 Edward Awebwa was jailed for six years because he gave "fake information" and "hate speech" against President Museveni and the First Lady Muhoozi Kainerugaba. He shared videos that mocked the president but Amnesty International said it was not hate speech.

## Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assembly

In February 20 the Ugandan police arrested environmental protestors against the building of the East African Crude oil pipeline. The police said they were a "common nuisance" and causing 'unesscary chaos by incoveniceing Parliament and other members of staff". 106 protesters were arrested for protesting against corruption that same year. the 15 of July President Museveni helped put Non-Govermental Organizations under the power of The Ministry of Internal Affairs. In so doing the NGO bureau was dissolved. Putting NGO's under The Ministry of Internal Affairs gives the president more power over them. Amnesty International says this is a move to centralized decision making.

## Right to Housing

The Ugandan government with support from the ministry s of gender, labour and social development arrested 142 women and 772 children because they were poor and the G77 summit was coming soon. It was an armed raid in the middle of the night. Many children were physically and or mentally harmed from the raids and arrests.  500 of the children now did not have a home.

## LGBT Rights

The Anti-Homosexuality act of 2023 made homosexuality and anything helping it very illegal. In 2024 it was made to be better for human rights according to Amnesty International. The act used to have people jailed for up to seven years for knowing and "allowing" a place to be used for homosexuality. A time of 20 years in prison was for anyone who gave another a building to be used for "activities that encourage homosexuality".  It also used to have the death penalty if someone in sex gave another a terminal illness. Another part that used to exist and had people legally have to say if they knew homosexuality had happened. Uganda still has the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" and 20 years of jail for "promoting homosexuality". "Sexual Minority's Uganda" a group which supports LGBT rights was shut down. It also could not be an NGO because according to Uganda it was against "public interest".

## Women's rights

The deaths of mothers while giving birth has dropped from 336 per 100 thousand births to 189 to 100 thousand births. Still according to Human Rights Watch most of the deaths could have not happened with care. Violence against women and girls still happens often in Uganda.

## Treatment of Indigenous peoples

The Ugandan Wildlife authority uses excessive force. They shot a child of the indigenous Benet people on two separate occasions. In the latter the 13 year old boy was shot in his village not in the forest. On the 28 of may  Another Benet person Kibet Silas Rukut was shot in the leg. He was shot because the UWA said his cattle went into Mount Elgon National Park.

## Right to a Healthy Environment

The East African Crude Oil pipeline will be from West Uganda to Tanzania's Tanga Port.  Amnesty International says this pipeline is very unhelpful for cutting global carbon emissions.'. Environmentalist's are among those arrested in Uganda.

## Infrastructure

The cars on the road in Uganda increase by 10% each year. The country's roads has too few and small roads for the new cars. Also Uganda does not repair it's road often so they are poor quality. Eight million people in Uganda want homes but can't get one. 8.5% of the government's money goes to transportation and constructing houses. The Entebbe International Airport started to be increased in 2023 but the work is two years behind schedule.

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