This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
On August 27, 2019, a Harvard University student, Hillary Innocent Seguya Taylor, took Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to court for blocking him on Twitter.
Mr. Taylor, a Ugandan citizen pursuing a Master's degree in International Relations, alleged that the President and two other officials, Ofwono Opondo and Asan Kasingye, had blocked him from accessing their official Twitter handles.
According to the lawsuit filed before the High Court in Kampala, Mr. Taylor claimed that the President and the officials used their Twitter handles as public forums to disseminate information about their public offices and to get feedback from citizens.
Mr. Taylor stated that blocking him was "illegal, improper and irrational," as he relied on social media to get information about his country's governance and to communicate with the officials.
He added that the blocking of his Twitter handle, @HillaryTaylorVI, from accessing the respective three handles on July 20, 30, and August 8, was done without giving him notice.
Mr. Taylor is seeking an order to be unblocked by the three Twitter accounts and is also seeking general damages for the inconvenience caused.
