By Our Reporters.
Media stakeholders on June 17, 2022 converged at Royal Suites hotel, Bugolobi for the launch of media guidelines on covering demonstrations. The event was organised by Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL) in conjunction with the Eastern Africa Media Institute-Uganda(EAMI)
and the Uganda Journalists Union (UJU). CEPIL Ag Executive Director Mr Francis Obonyo said the media. practitioners in Uganda are increasingly being harassed, intimidated, deprived of their liberty, physically attacked and even killed by security agencies because of their investigative work or reporting during demonstrations. He said his organisation is committed in providing legal support and working in partnership with key stakeholders in implementing the guidelines and ensuring abuses or crimes are prevented and perpetrators are brought to book hence ending impunity in the country.
Uganda Journalists Union (UJU) General Secretary Mr Stephen Ouma Bwire said the days of only condemning and confronting security agencies when journalists rights are violated are over. He said at the National Mechanism on Safety of Journalists key stakeholders in the media industry are lobbied to a dialogue to discuss safety of journalists. ” The mechanism addresses Prevention of crimes against journalist, protection of journalists and Prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against journalists ,” he said. Stakeholders said they cannot continue watching and mere condemning as human rights are violated, journalists are harassed, tortured and detained sometimes incommunicado by security agencies. They resolved to bring offenders to book for prosecution in courts of law. Uganda Police Force Deputy Spokesperson ASP Luke Oweyesigire, who launched the guidelines accompanied by Police PRO in charge of Social Media Ms Mary Nankinga, reiterated commitment in ensuring safety of journalists. He said police would do everything possible to ensure collection , processing and dissemination of information is devoid of impediments. ” Police and other security officials who commit crimes against the media shall face the law and get prosecuted in their individual capacities,” he said.
Media stakeholders resolvedto organise workshops for journalists , regulating bodies, journalism training institutions, other key stakeholders and security agencies with view to sensitizing officials and journalists on the new guidelines.
CEPIL, EAMI and UJU, as partners for a free press and Independent Media aimed at enhancing democratic space for Media in Uganda, have engaged several stakeholders on possible strategies of promoting the freedom of media and press.
The partnership has also engaged the security agencies; the Police and the Army on possible collaboration between the media and the security agencies with the aim of building bridges on how the two entities shall work together to promote the rule of law.
Guidelines for journalists while covering protests
1. Reporters should carry Identification such as their National Identity Card and a copy of their press card in an accessible place to clearly identify themselves as journalists but conceal it if it attracts unwarranted attention.
2. Media houses need to equip their journalists with anti-riot gear while sending them to cover volatile events. Journalists need to have reflector flak jackets with the name of their media organization boldly inscribed on them.
3. Journalists covering riots, protests and demonstrations should be trained in covering violent conflicts.
4. Deployers must have a good understanding of hazards, controls and competencies including experience in relation to public disorder and ensure teams are adequate in number, appropriately trained, selected, briefed and directed.
5. The Media should keep professional conduct and remain outside the action of the demonstration.
6. The Media should be independent from the themes of the protests.
7. Any situation can be dynamic and fast changing, so any risk assessment should be kept under constant review as the situation develops and as information is gathered from various agencies including those on the ground.
8. Journalists should expect fair and restrained treatment by the Police and should not simply be adamant to obeying instructions from the Police. While in the field covering demonstrations, journalists need to follow the guidelines given to them by security organizations. Journalists should remain calm and take the position of ‘an observer instead of ‘participant’. They should remain calm if arrested and wait for an opportunity to make their case.
9. Withdraw to a safe area, if faced with direct aggression, if weapons appear or crowd dispersal techniques are used. Inform your deployer/ line manager about the situation.
10. The journalists should take note of the events surrounding the demonstrations and take note of the human rights violators, their names and everything for evidence after on their assault.
11. The Media should be fair and balanced in the way they report; thinking about how to be fair to the protestors and to those who might disagree as they go about gathering their story. For the public deserves fair, truthful coverage that enlightens rather than simply enflames through (often hateful) rhetoric.
12. Journalists should cross-check and double check all information before it is published and to follow guidelines on live coverage that emphasize the need for a minute delay to avoid issues that may have a negative effect on the public.
13. Journalists should endeavor to work in pairs for support in case the protesters turn violent. Journalists should establish pre-arranged contact points with the rest of the team if they are separating. The journalist should have contacts with both field and office team to facilitate communication and call for help/assistance in case of any violence.
14. Journalists should remain calm and focused when things get intense and avoid being part of the protesters.
15. Journalists should take note of the names of the aggressors and report them to the authorities if assaulted or abused in anyway.
Guidelines to law enforcement officers while covering protests
1. Peaceful protests, whether authorised or not, play a vital role in a democratic society and should not be sacrificed on the altar of security and anti-terrorism measures.
2. The law-enforcement officials should adopt and implement a human rights-based approach to policing protests, through training police in the use of nonviolent, dialogue-oriented crowd control methods, and effectively investigate and adequately sanction all instances of ill-treatment committed by law-enforcement officials.
3. Law-enforcement officials should avoid the use of force or, where that is not practicable, shall restrict such force to the minimum extent necessary.
4. The “use of firearms’’ by law enforcement authorities against persons should be limited except when strictly unavoidable to protect human life. Firearms should only be used as a last resort and be such as to minimise damage and loss of life.
5. A system for monitoring the use of force, which must include a requirement for law-enforcement officials to report any use of it, should be in place. This system should take into account the law governing use of equipment during protests, the training on its use [and] the quantities and nature of equipment held.
6. The development and deployment of non-lethal incapacitating weapons should be carefully evaluated in order to minimize the risk of endangering uninvolved persons and the use of such.
7. Strategies of crowd control that rely on containment must only be used exceptionally for it is against the right to liberty. These should not be used directly or indirectly to stifle or discourage the protest.
8. Law enforcement officials should undertake regular and adequate training, including on human rights principles, of police personnel. Practical training on the use of force and limits with regard to established human rights principles, should be included in police training at all levels
9. Police officers need to know how and when to use the equipment but knowing its capabilities, its purpose and its limitations.
10. Assistance and medical aid to those affected by the use of force during protests must be ensured at the earliest possible moment in order to minimise adverse effects on life and health.
11. Dialogue between law-enforcement officers and protesters is also important in order to inform the latter what security and public safety measures will be taken. Precautionary measures, such as directing the demonstrators could be an effective way to ensure that the protests remain peaceful. At the same time, threatening measures such as the deployment of heavily armed police, police dogs, water cannons, etc. tend to escalate violence.
12. Arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms by law-enforcement officials should be punishable and a police complaints system should be put in place and criminal and disciplinary proceedings should be brought against law-enforcement officials responsible for misconduct or human rights violations■
