Free nude protesters, says UHRC boss Wangadya

The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has demanded the immediate release of the three women arrested, charged, and remanded for staging a nude protest outside Parliament.

Ms Mariam Wangadya, who spoke to Monitor during an interview yesterday, condemned the actions taken against the women. She said the arrest was an unjustifiable violation of their fundamental human rights.

Norah Kobusingye, Praise Aloikin Opolose, and Kemitooma Kyanzibo were remanded to Luzira Prison in Kampala on Monday on charges of common nuisance, following their protest against corruption.

“All they were armed with were placards. Parliament is the place where all their responsible elected leaders sit. Norah, Praise and Kemitooma had every right to walk to Parliament to demand to be listened to. They posed absolutely no harm to the public or to any person,” Ms Wangadya said.

“All the police had to do was to accompany them to Parliament where they would have an audience with their Speaker or her representative who would hear them out, receive their petition, if any, and wish them a happy day,” she said.

Ms Wangadya said the right to freedom of association, assembly, expression, and peaceful demonstration is a fundamental human right enshrined in Article 29 of the Constitution of Uganda. She said the right is also protected under regional and international human rights instruments to which Uganda is a signatory.

“The offence that the three women have been charged with; common nuisance, is preposterous and intended to harass, intimidate and unduly limit Norah, Praise and Kemitooma’s fundamental liberties.

We also wonder; who is the victim in this case? None," she said.

"The peaceful demonstration did not in any way harm the public or any person.

Any legal provision which creates a victimless “crime” is utterly ridiculous, redundant, absurd and must be repealed,” she added.

Ms Wangadya then called for the immediate release of the three women.

"We call upon the State to immediately drop charges against Norah, Praise, and Kemitooma and set them free. Their continued prosecution and incarceration are unjustifiable, malicious, primitive, vindictive, and a violation of their human rights. All laws creating victimless 'crimes ' must be repealed," she concluded.

Ms Wangadya said she would write to the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, urging them to intervene in the matter.

But Ms Irene Nakimbugwe, the deputy public relations officer at the DPP, said: “We respect the chairperson of the UHRC and she is entitled to her opinion. However, the people who were taken to court violated the law and are being charged with nuisance. So let us leave the law to take its course.

Background

Nude protest

The three women were arrested on Monday for stagging a nude protest on Parliament Avenue. The noon protest quickly attracted a crowd of onlookers, including boda boda riders.

The women, with their torsos painted in the colors of the Ugandan flag, flashed placards calling for the resignation of Parliament Speaker Anita Among, as they marched from Embassy House towards the Parliament gate, chanting and making their demands known.

The protesters, who identified themselves as "Uganda Freedom Activists,” also called for an audit of the MPs’ earnings and questioned the accountability of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

The three women later appeared in court and were charged with common nuisance. They denied the charges and were remanded to Luzira prison until September 12.