HRNJ-Uganda alert, police officer holds journalist at gunpoint.

Lira, 12th/April/2014; a Vision Group journalist, Joseph Ekol was held at gunpoint in the evening of 10th/April/2014 by a Lira district traffic officer for allegedly photographing the Lira District Police Commander, Seiko Chemonges without his permission. The two police officers confiscated the journalists camera and went away with it. Ekol, a Lira district New Vision-based freelance reporter told HRNJ-Uganda that he was held at gun point for about three minutes at the road side as the police officers struggled to grab his camera, a traffic officer parked his police motor-cycle and pointed at me with a pistol, he held me at gun point as he tried to grab my camera. Chemonges -who was exercising (working out) on the road before I tried to take his photos, joined the traffic officer and forcefully grabbed my camera which they went away with; he first ordered me to delete the said photo, but unfortunately I had not taken any at the time. He threatened me with the worst treatment of my life if I dared to follow him at the Central Police Station. he told HRNJ-Uganda Chemonges accused Ekol of photographing him without his permission, he admitted to confronting the journalist, We fought over the camera and we removed it from him. You dont just go photographing people like that without seeking permission. If he is bringing a case of threatening violence, let him do so, we shall also become hard on his photography. Chemonges told HRNJ-Uganda in an interview. Ekol said he had his Vision Group Identity Card which Chemonges grabbed to read, and there after threw it on the ground. He has threatened to take action against the journalist for sharing this matter with other journalists, He (Ekol) is taking us for granted. I have ordered the CID officer to make him record a statement when he comes to pick his camera. We are in the police, we cant be scared by that. He telephoned HRNJ-Uganda to warn the journalist. In the last two weeks, HRNJ-Uganda has documented at least four cases where police officers are involved in confronting journalists on duty in various parts of the country. Various Human Rights reports have singled out the Uganda Police Force as the leading institution in violating media rights and freedoms. It is depressing for police officers to threaten violence against a journalist over an alleged taking of a photo in a public place, and using high handedness to intimidate and threaten journalists. The police should return the journalists camera unconditionally and desist from harassing

journalists and abusing media rights and freedoms. Said the HRNJ-Uganda National Coordinator, Robert Ssempala. For More Information Contact; Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) Plot 18, Block 12 Stensera Road Kayanja Triangle Zone P.O.BOX. 71314 Clock Tower Kampala. Tel: +256-414-272934 / +256-414-667627 E-mail: news@hrnjuganda.org / humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk / Website: www.hrnjuganda.org; BLOG: http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com