Falana drags Ugandan govt. to UN over detention of Bobi Wine

Wed, Jan 20, 2021
By editor
2 MIN READ

Africa

“Nigerian human rights lawyer Femi Falana has filed this complaint on my behalf to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Arrest.

“We are challenging my continued illegal confinement by the Ugandan police and the military,” Wine tweeted on Wednesday.

Wine’s residence in Kampala has been surrounded by the army since Friday, a day after Uganda conducted presidential elections in which Wine competed against President Yoweri Museveni.

Long-time president Museveni, 76, was re-elected with almost 59 per cent of the vote, followed by 38-year-old Wine, with roughly 35 per cent.

Wine says he will legally contest the result of the presidential election, alleging “widespread fraud” during the Jan. 14 poll, which was seen as Uganda’s first election in which there was a real threat to Museveni’s rule.

Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, has retained power for 35 years.

He had changed Uganda’s constitution to enable himself to run for yet another five-year term.

The election had been overshadowed by violence since campaigning began, with almost daily violence.

The internet was shut down across the country shortly before the start of voting.

It has since returned, though social media remains unavailable. – dpa/NAN

– Jan. 20, 2021 @ 2:07 GMT |

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