Uganda: Human Rights

(asked on 29th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Ugandan counterparts on reports of human rights violations during the recent Presidential elections in that country.


Answered by
James Duddridge Portrait
James Duddridge
This question was answered on 3rd February 2021

GROUPED WITH PQS 145811 & 145812.

I [Minister Duddridge] spoke to the Ugandan Foreign Minister, Sam Kutesa, on 26 November 2020 to express concern about the arrest of Robert Kyagulanyi and the violence that followed. I [Minister Duddridge] sought reassurances that Ugandan security forces would show restraint and raised the importance of the rights of Ugandans to freely express their views. Ahead of the elections of 14 January, I [Minister Duddridge] raised the importance of British officials observing the vote in further calls with Foreign Minister Kutesa and with the Ugandan High Commissioner. The UK deployed 51 Election Observers across 120 polling stations in Uganda on election day.

I [Minister Duddridge] also publicly expressed my disappointment about the internet shutdown on 14 January and my concerns at reduced transparency of the elections. I have since set out our concerns, in a statement of 17 January, about the overall political climate surrounding the elections and have urged the Government of Uganda to meet its international human rights commitments. I [Minister Duddridge] welcome the High Court of Uganda's decision of 25 January 2021 lifting restrictions on Robert Kyagulanyi, and that the British High Commissioner was able to meet with him on 27 January 2021. As a long-standing partner to Uganda, the UK will continue to follow post-election developments closely, and engage with the Ugandan Government and Ugandans to advocate for democracy.

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