TASSC report: Torture in Uganda: The Tragic History, Impact and Current Reality under the Museveni Regime

In the face of the realities set out in this report, the Museveni regime’s use of torture to secure its hold on power is beyond question.  The Ugandan government’s long history of violent human rights violations cannot be denied, and there is no doubt that the brutal, decades-long human rights climate in Uganda is rapidly worsening. 

The Museveni regime is committing gross human rights violations with impunity that can only be checked by a strong international response. Ultimately, there is no reason to believe that the Ugandan regime will end its violence against its own citizens, especially in light of the blurred lines between the military and the police, which was made so clear in the recent presidential election. Unless the international community takes action to deter the government’s brazen human rights violations by holding responsible those who control the forces that systematically commit torture and other abuses, they will continue.  TASSC is encouraged by statements from the U.S. government, other nations, and international organizations acknowledging the human rights crisis in Uganda and signaling, at last, that the time may have come for some measure of accountability.[1]

 In closing, TASSC wishes to recognize the courage of the hundreds of citizen journalists who stepped forward to report their recent experiences with torture and other abuses.  Their reports not only provide strong corroborating evidence of the crisis in Uganda, they serve also as a reminder of the human costs of the Museveni regime’s violent excesses and the urgent need for an international response. In appreciation for the contribution of those citizen journalists, and in remembrance of those who perished from the government’s violence, TASSC commits to continuing its work to assure survivors of torture in Uganda that justice will be served.