UN demands end of Ugandan clampdown on dissent

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that the United Nations has criticised Uganda over what it described as an expanding crackdown on dissent, opposition activity and civic freedoms. In a statement issued Thursday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Ugandan authorities were increasingly acting against critics and narrowing fundamental freedoms, warning that people who speak out are being silenced.

The statement came shortly after veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye, 70, was taken to hospital after collapsing during a court appearance in Kampala, according to the report. Besigye, who is on trial for treason, has been detained since November 2024. His case has drawn renewed attention to the treatment of opposition figures in Uganda.

According to the UN Human Rights office, repression has intensified since the January 15 general elections, after which President Yoweri Museveni, 81, was declared winner of a seventh term. The office said at least 50 opposition leaders and supporters, along with five journalists and five human rights defenders, have faced violations including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and torture. It also cited the forced suspension of 10 civil society organisations, pressure on other groups, and temporary closures of some media outlets.

Türk said the situation was fostering fear, self-censorship and political polarisation. He called on Ugandan authorities to stop military interference in civilian institutions and to use the country’s resources to improve living conditions while respecting fundamental rights. The allegations matter because they point to worsening constraints on political competition, media freedom and civil society in a country long led by Museveni.