Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…
Court action is under way against 67 people imprisoned in Uganda in the wake of a Nov. 10 raid in which 125 people were arrested on nuisance charges. In a court hearing today for 11 of them, nine successfully applied for bail, the gay-friendly legal-aid organization HRAPF reported.
The organization, the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF), reported:
Logo of the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF)
We have successfully applied for bail for 9 of the 11 persons charged with common nuisance that were produced today. The 2 did not have sureties and further remanded till 6th December. When we get sureties, we shall apply for production warrants and apply for bail earlier than the scheduled date. We shall continue representing the others on their respective dates 18th, 22 and 26 of November until they are all released. T
HRAPF team that represented the accused were Patricia Kimera, Arajab Kamya and Juliet Kanyange. The conditions for bail were bail cash of 500.000shs [about U.S. $135] and deposit of the accused National Identity Cards. HRAPF has paid the bail fees in court and now waiting for the National Identity Cards to process the bail forms.
The solidarity exhibited by partner organisations in court and ensuring that we have sureties is commendable. We still call upon our partners to support the rest still on remand in securing sureties so that they too can be granted bail on the respective dates.
Later today, HRAPF reported that in an evening court session it secured bail for an additional prisoner for a non-cash bond of 2 million Ugandan shillings (about U.S. $542).
People convicted of being a public nuisance can be sentenced to up to one year in prison.
Among the 125 original arrestees, 58 people quickly posted bail or paid bribes in order to be released promptly. The other 67 were imprisoned awaiting court action.
