Uganda just silenced a major critic right before the rigged election started. Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz from Human Rights Watch slammed the move as proof that the state hates dissent. Security forces grabbed Sarah Bireete, the head of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, at her house. They charged her with illegal data access after holding her past the legal limit.
This takedown happens while advocates claim the election setup is totally broken. President Yoweri Museveni has secured seven victories in a row, but the UN noted that specific regulations like the Computer Misuse Act squeeze civic space. These rules help the administration arrest whoever they want and crush freedom of expression.
The Council on Foreign Relations called the upcoming vote useless because it serves to keep the forty-year ruler in power. Officials have smashed opposition rallies and messed with the media. They also toss political heavyweights in jail while making life impossible for anyone fighting the system.
The state killed the internet for five days during the last cycle, and fears are rising about info access this time around. Rights groups see this latest arrest as standard procedure for a regime that destroys the rule of law to maintain control.
This takedown happens while advocates claim the election setup is totally broken. President Yoweri Museveni has secured seven victories in a row, but the UN noted that specific regulations like the Computer Misuse Act squeeze civic space. These rules help the administration arrest whoever they want and crush freedom of expression.
The Council on Foreign Relations called the upcoming vote useless because it serves to keep the forty-year ruler in power. Officials have smashed opposition rallies and messed with the media. They also toss political heavyweights in jail while making life impossible for anyone fighting the system.
The state killed the internet for five days during the last cycle, and fears are rising about info access this time around. Rights groups see this latest arrest as standard procedure for a regime that destroys the rule of law to maintain control.
