In the face of a military crackdown targeting independent media, WAN-IFRA has called on the government of Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, to honour constitutional guarantees and international standards protecting media freedom and the safety of journalists.
In the early hours of Sunday, 28th June, Ugandan military personnel raided the premises of Nation Media Group-owned media houses in Kampala, forcing television and radio broadcasts off the air and shuttering print titles. Journalists and media leaders are being targeted online as the military increases its pressure on independent media across the country.
WAN-IFRA and the World Editors Forum has written to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to call for an immediate reopening of shuttered media, reminding the long-serving head of state of his government’s obligations under domestic and international law to protect the freedom of the press and ensure the safety of journalists and media workers.