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EU, US condemn brutal treatment of MPs
Photo Montage of Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake at Lubaga hospital where he was allegedly dumped by men in military attire.
Ten European Union member countries have joined the United States government in condemning the manner in which Members of Parliament including Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake and several other politicians have been brutally treated.
A Statement released by the US government today morning states that:
“We are deeply concerned by recent events in Arua, Kampala, and Gulu, and disturbed by reports of brutal treatment of Members of Parliament, journalists, and others at the hands of security forces.
“All those detained have the right to humane treatment, due process, access to lawyers and to their have joined the families, and a prompt, fair, and transparent trial. Those who need medical attention should be granted immediate access to a doctor of their choice. We urge the Government to show the world that Uganda respects its constitution and the human rights of all of its citizens.”
It was followed, a few hours later by a joint statement from ten EU member countries of the European Union in which they criticised what they also described as disquieting events arising from the by-elections in Arua.
Below is the EU’s statement
The European Union Delegation, the Heads of Mission of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and the Heads of Mission of Norway and Iceland issue the following statement in Uganda.
The Heads of Mission are deeply concerned by the events that have occurred before and after the Arua Municipality by-election. The violence marring the day before the polls, the lack of accredited domestic observers, the reported brutal treatment of elected Members of the Uganda Parliament, journalists and civilians, as well as the loss of human life are very disquieting events. There is no room for repression nor violence in a modern democratic Uganda.
The Heads of Mission call upon all tiers of the Ugandan Government, political parties and civil society to cooperate to ensure that the events that have caused much suffering to citizens and have damaged the global image of Uganda are addressed swiftly and transparently with full respect for the Rule of Law, and of the individual rights of all concerned.
Since the arrest of Bobi Wine and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, the Social Media and other media platforms have seen an outpouring of anger and petitions condemning the release of Bobi Wine and his fellow MPs.
Many including NRM cadres, have rejected as lies and planned pictures that were posted by the President’s press office showing that the youth of Arua broke the rear screen of the President’s car.
The #FreeBobiWine hashtag has become the most trending topic on Twitter and Facebook.
The day started with reports that the army had dumped MP Zaake at Rubaga Hospital in a very bad state that necessitated him being put on life support. He was visibly tortured as shown by images indicating his hands were likely burned while his face is swollen. his ear has wounds and the Leader of Opposition Betty Awol said he could have died had he not been put on life support.
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