Know Your Rights

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On Friday February 12, 2016, Chapter Four Uganda launched a simplified guide to freedom of expression and assembly in Uganda in the run-up to the 2016 general elections.

Titled, “What you need to know about your expressions and assembly freedoms,” the handy booklet simplifies several issues around the freedoms. It summarizes the freedoms as provided in national and international human rights instruments, as well as the law seeking to enforce them.

It also highlights the gaps in enforcement of these rights, specifically focusing on laws that have a potential to limit the enjoyment of these rights.

The purpose is to enable the reader understand the rights and freedoms while at the same time appreciating the existing limits in enjoyment of these rights in Uganda. The reader will be able to understand the enjoyment of freedom of association and speech and the limits within which such freedom can be exercised.

The booklet highlights the laws limiting the enjoyment of these two freedoms. It should be noted that some of the limitations go beyond what is legally expected in a free democratic society; however, the fact that these laws are still in force in Uganda, creates the importance of highlighting them for the reader to understand and avoid falling prey to these undemocratic legal provisions. The booklet will highlight the need to advocate for change of these laws through amendments or court petitions, to bring them inline with constitutional requirements.

It is hoped that this simplified booklet can help the reader understand the dos and don’ts of freedoms of expression and assembly in Uganda and will help them in advocating for the enforcement of these rights.

To download a copy of the abridged handbook in PDF, click HERE to follow the link.