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Uganda Issues New Directives for Foreign Journalists

Halima Athumani

   KAMPALA, UGANDA - Human rights activists are denouncing a new Ugandan
   directive to scrutinize journalists working for foreign media.

   On Thursday, Paul Ekochu, the chairman of the Ugandan government's
   Media Council, said journalists working in the country for foreign
   outlets must register anew and submit to a vetting process, or risk
   having criminal charges brought against them.

   Ekochu argued the scrutiny is needed if journalists' security is to be
   guaranteed.

   He recalled all the accreditation cards possessed by journalists
   working for foreign media, saying new ones with security features will
   be issued after reporters re-register.

   "In the next seven days, all media practitioners in these media houses
   and in the country are registered with the media council and issued
   with the relevant press tag, which will allow them access, coverage of
   public events, state events and in particular, these elections," he
   said, referring to the January 14 presidential election.

   Ekochu said those who do not comply may face criminal penalties.

   "Two, it's a criminal offense under the law to do what you have been
   told to practice without a certification when you have been informed
   you should certify yourself," he said. "Three, it's again a criminal
   offense to disobey a lawful order."

   Growing concern

   Liam Taylor, who co-chairs the Foreign Correspondents Association of
   Uganda, said journalists are increasingly concerned about the
   arbitrary, ambiguous and ever-changing rules the Ugandan state is
   imposing, saying the rules interfere with their work.

   "Coming just weeks before elections, this is very worrying indeed,"
   Taylor said. "That's a disturbing precedent. And, we are not asking for
   any special treatment. All we want is the right to do our work."

   Local journalists are also required to apply for renewal of their press
   passes by the end of the year.

   Robert Sempala, National Coordinator of the Human Rights Network for
   Journalists in Uganda, said these are moves by the government to
   prevent journalists from reporting on some presidential candidates.

   "The timing, who gives seven days to accredit journalists nationally?
   Who does that if it is well intentioned? But also, to create this
   feeling of fear, that you have an accreditation that is newly issued so
   you have to be extremely careful," Sempala said.

   Call for protection

   Muthoki Mumo, the Sub Saharan representative for the Committee for
   Protection of Journalists, noted that the new guidelines are
   disingenuous and do not focus on journalists' safety despite the Media
   Council's claims.

   "Identifying them differently is not the solution here," she said.
   "Stop obstructing the work of journalists, start protecting
   journalists, investigate attacks on journalists. Holding those who've
   attacked journalists, whether they are security personnel or members of
   the public, accountable is the solution to the issue of safety of
   journalists on the campaign trail."

   The new guidelines come just days after accredited journalists working
   for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation were deported from Uganda.