This archive report was first published on 6 January 2022.
January 6, 2022
Ugandan novelist and activist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has been held incommunicado for over a week, sparking international concern over his treatment.
Mr. Rukirabashaija was kidnapped by gunmen on December 28 and disappeared until police acknowledged holding him. Despite a court order for his unconditional release, he remains in detention without trial.
EU special representative for human rights, Eamon Gilmore, expressed alarm over reports of alleged torture and incommunicado detention of Mr. Rukirabashaija. He urged Ugandan authorities to uphold the rule of law and due process.
Mr. Gilmore's concerns were shared by Maria Håkansson, the ambassador of Sweden to Uganda, who expressed 'full support' for the EU representative. The EU delegation to Uganda also supported the call for Mr. Rukirabashaija's release.
Mr. Rukirabashaija's lawyer, Eron Kiiza, alleged that his client had been tortured, citing swollen legs and urinating blood. A search is ongoing at Mr. Rukirabashaija's home in Iganga.
Mr. Rukirabashaija was previously detained and questioned about his novel, The Greedy Barbarian, in April 2020. He penned another book, Banana Republic: Where Writing Is Treasonous, about his ordeal while in custody, which caused his arrest in September 2020.
Mr. Kakwenza was last year named the International Writer of Courage at the PEN Pinter Prize ceremony, an award given to someone who has been persecuted for speaking out about their beliefs.
The European Union has a strong stance on human rights, having adopted a regulation in December 2020 establishing a global human rights sanction regime. In February 2021, the European Parliament pushed for sanctions against individuals and organisations responsible for human rights violations in Uganda.
