Activists petition UHRC over claims of police sodomising suspects

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A section of human rights activists has petitioned the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) over suspects who were allegedly sodomized while in police custody following their arrest during the anti-corruption protests.

The allegations first emerged when activist and cartoonist Jim Spire Ssentongo shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that some protesters who had been released reported being sodomized and physically assaulted by police officers during their detention last week.

These claims have sparked outrage on social media, with many Ugandans calling for an independent investigation and accountability for the perpetrators. However, police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke dismissed the claims as false and unfounded. Addressing journalists at Naguru police headquarters, Rusoke appealed to the alleged victims to report the matter to the police for investigation.

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“We call upon those who say they are victims to come out and report to us instead of talking on social media. But no one has reached out to the police on this matter,” Rusoke noted. Additionally, Alex Luswa Luwemba, a human rights activist and lawyer, told URN that most of the sodomized individuals were those not presented in court on Tuesday and Wednesday last week.

“Not all individuals arrested during the protests were presented in court on the same day. Some were detained in police cells overnight without their families or lawyers being granted access to them. These are the people who were victimized,” Luwemba explained.

Tomas Bagonza, another activist from New Chapter Uganda, stated that the allegations of sodomy in police cells are among the top concerns they have brought before UHRC through a petition calling for a thorough investigation and appropriate action.

“If the police spokesperson is seeking evidence, he should be patient and await its presentation. We have already submitted our evidence to the Uganda Human Rights Commission. Although we anticipate the commission might not take action, we are prepared to escalate our concerns to the High Court and other international human rights organizations to ensure this issue is addressed,” Bagonza noted.

Several Ugandans have been arrested in recent days for participating in anti-corruption protests, which the police have deemed illegal. On Wednesday, over 50 protesters were remanded for their participation in the protests.

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