By: Kyeyune Ali
Journalism is one of the professions people grow up wanting to take but it’s one of the hardest to practice especially in Uganda.
On Tuesday, The Human Rights Network for Journalist Uganda a body that fights for the rights of the media practioners in Uganda at their headquarters in Bukoto released a Press Freedom Index Report for the year 2022.
The report dubbed, “Uncertain Future for the media” was revealed before and launched by the United States of America Embassy diplomate Allen Mercy.
This is done with the purpose of promoting and protection of the Rights of journalists and other media practitioners in uganda.
The report shows that in 2022, Human Rights Network for Journalist- Uganda recorded a total of Ninety four (94) cases of human rights abuse and violations against journalists and media practitioners in uganda.
This was a decrease when compared to the number of cases previously reported in 2021 , 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Among other violations against journalists in Uganda, HRNJ recorded a total number of Nine (9) journalists which were charged with various offences and two (2) were charged with offensive communication, four (4) with murder and One (1) with defamation.
There were 30 assault cases , 22 arrest cases , 15 cases of damages of equipments , 10 cases of blocked access, 09 cases of charged journalists, confiscation of gadgets they were 04 and three (3) were threatened.
The executive director HRNJ Mr Ssempala Robert said “Although the number of reported cases is less than those reported in 2021 , the environment for the practice of journalism and the exercise of press rights and freedoms in Uganda has remained hostile and this is due to wrong doers in security against the journalists in Uganda.”
The permanent closure of the democratic governance facility (DGF) in December 2022 will make it difficult for the organizations that work to promote and protect press rights and freedoms in Uganda since many were dependent on support from this fund.” He added .
Journalism, though it’s the fourth estate in the country, it’s one of the lowest paid professions in the country and many work without pay.