Police Attacks Journalists

Uganda

On Tuesday, journalist Isano Francis and Thomas Kitimbo were subjected to pepper spray by CPL Ogwal Yeeko, as police were called in to disperse a group of pre-medical interns who had planned to march to Parliament to raise awareness about the delayed commencement of medical internships for 2023/2024 and the welfare of medical interns.

The incident was captured on video and sparked outrage. Police spokesperson SCP Fred Enanga condemned the officer’s unprofessional behavior and stated that while CPL Ogwal Yeeko had issued an apology to the journalists, he had been suspended and turned over to the Professional Standards Unit for further investigations.

Enanga also stressed that the mistreatment of journalists and reporters while they perform their duties cannot be justified.