HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK FOR JOURNALISTS - UGANDA

HRNJ UGANDA
In Defence & Promotion of Freedom of Expression, Information & Media Freedom

17th March, 2014 Press statement: For immediate release Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) is extremely concerned with the superfluous and uncalled for politicization and criminalization of the media y !la eling" #ournalists !pro-$ a azi" to mean that they are inclined and supporters of the Rt% Hon% &rime $inister' John &atrick (mama $ a azi% )his un#ustified la eling of #ournalists has sent shock wa*es' caused panic and stress among media practitioners and many are acting under pressure from their employers and audiences to pro*e that they are not compromised% Journalists are supposed to e impartial and o #ecti*e in the course of their work% +o' this la eling amounts to persecution and poses a threat to the li*es and #o security of the named #ournalists% ,t has een made difficult to report on the NR$ political party matters without fear or fa*or or without eing la eled pro or anti $ a azi% HRNJ-Uganda has talked to a num er of #ournalists on the said list- most of them ha*e *ehemently denied eing inclined to any political camp% +ome are so surprised that their names could make such a list which has horri le political implications to their career% +ome #ournalists elie*e that their names were copied and pasted from sign-in ooks in &arliament or $edia .entre' distur ing howe*er is how some editors who ne*er go to the field had their names on the said list% )his eha*ior from +tate operati*es who do the la eling is intended to deny the pu lic the right information pertaining to issues within the ruling NR$ party% /ou will recall that early this month' an alleged list of 012 #ournalists reportedly compiled y +tate operati*es was said to ha*e een presented to +tate House' accusing the #ournalists of eing iased in their co*erage in fa*or of $r% $ a azi% )his has come at a critical time of heightened political tension within the ruling NR$ where the &rime $inister (mama $ a azi is accused of nurturing am itions to contest in the 3204 presidential elections and undermining his oss the &resident% HRNJ-Uganda elie*es that the ongoing de ates within the NR$ as to who should contest for presidency is a matter of pu lic interest as well as national importance which #ournalists must co*er accurately and offer all *iews an e5ual opportunity with a *iew of helping the citizens make informed decisions in their way of #udgment% Howe*er this should not e construed to mean that when one side is offered space it amounts to eing pro the *iews of that side% &ersecution of #ournalists ecause of their work has a huge chilling effect on the media industry- it is intended to stifle pu lic de ate on the affairs of the party that was entrusted with the responsi ility of managing Uganda"s pu lic affairs% )his pattern of e*ents is further contri uting to the already worsening space for the media that is getting narrower and narrower e*eryday especially when it comes to reporting a out go*ernance issues%

HRNJ-Uganda o!ld there"ore recommend the "ollo ing# 0% 6e call upon the media managers7 proprietors and #ournalists to stand firm and resist the political temptations to compromise their 5uality of work and conse5uently the industry 3% .all upon the +tate agencies and NR$ party functionaries to desist from politicizing' criminalization and persecution of #ournalists ecause of their professional work 8% )he +tate House and the rele*ant authorities should come out and explain the said list and what it is intended for 9% )he media should e allowed to operate freely without this undue pressure which is detrimental to the notion of holding leaders accounta le% 1% )he state is reminded that the media plays a fundamental role in championing good go*ernance and de*elopment and therefore it must restrain from curtailing its freedoms at all times 4% )he +tate must uphold its o ligations to protect promote and uphold fundamental human rights including those of #ournalists% ,n solidarity' we stand to defend the media

R$%&R' ((&MP)*) National +oordinator H!man Rights Net or, "or Jo!rnalists-Uganda

Plot 18, Block 12 St !" #$ Ro$% K$&$!'$ T#($!)l *o!

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