Uganda : Journalist hospitalised after being brutalised by the UPDF
Ugandan journalist Perez Rumanzi was admitted into hospital after being severely beaten by members of the Ugandan police force.
Journalist Perez Rumanzi, who works for the Daily Monitor as well as the Nation Media Group was assaulted on Wednesday 1st April in the evening. The IFJ joins it affiliate the Ugandan Journalists Union (UJU) in condemning this actsof brutality against a journalist.
Perez Rumanzi was attacked along Kaguta road in the Ntungamo Municipality, in the Western Region by members of the police force while reporting on how the people in Ntunggamo
were responding to the lockdown imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. His camera was also taken away from him.
The journalist was transferred to the Ntungamo Municipal Health Clinic and is recovering from his injuries. He told journalists that his arms, legs and back were badly bruised.
The General Secretary of the Uganda Journalists Union (UJU), Stephen Ouma Bwire, condemned the attack in the strongest terms possible and urged the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) to return the camera to the journalist and replace it if damaged. The UJU also demands that the UPDF cover the full treatment of journalist Perez Rumanzi and compensate him for all his loss and injuries.
The General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, Anthony Bellanger said: “Media have been identified as part of the essential services in most countries including Uganda, and the security forces must show respect to journalists in particular
while enforcing the restrictions that are put in place by the State. We call on the Ugandan government to provide the press with all the safety and security they need to carry out their duties and inform citizens. "