This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
On October 25, 2019, a tense standoff unfolded at Makerere University in Uganda as students protested a 15 percent tuition fee increment imposed by the university administration.
As the protest escalated, Ugandan forces descended upon the students' hostels, arresting 46 students and leaving at least 11 hospitalized after being beaten and property destroyed.
Student leader Judith Nalukwago accused the army and police of raiding the hostels, beating students, and destroying property, sparking outrage among the student body.
"The police have not produced the detained students before court yet the mandatory 48 hours have passed. They have even suppressed our efforts to secure bond for our colleagues," Ms. Nalukwago said in a statement.
Undeterred, students from the university filed an application at a Kampala court seeking the unconditional release of their colleagues in police custody.
Meanwhile, over 15 journalists covering the students' press conference were teargassed and beaten by security forces, who also ordered them to delete their recordings.
