Uganda: In The Lead Up To Elections, Canadian Reporters Deported, Despite Holding Valid Press Credentials
Location: Uganda
Date: November 30, 2020
The CBC News team including two women journalists were deported this weekend despite valid press credential and complying with the protocols set for foreign journalists working from Uganda. The Coalition For Women In Journalism finds this unexpected deportation, an attack on press freedom. We urge authorities to prevent such obstructions to reporters in the lead up to elections.
A SCAN OF THE OFFICIAL PRESS ACCREDITATION CARDS ISSUED TO THE CBC NEWS CREW BY THE MEDIA COUNCIL OF UGANDA. (CBC)
CBC News foreign correspondent Margaret Evans, producer Lily Martin and videographer Jean-François Bisson were deported from Uganda last Friday. The expulsion occurred about a month before the country's elections. Uganda will hold presidential and parliamentary elections next year on January 14. We acknowledge reports from the ground that indicate that President Yoweri Museveni, who has been serving the country for 34 years, wishes to win the elections again. We urge relevant authorities to allow the election process to be transparent to all local and foriegn press, and curb any efforts of stifling the media and political opponents during this time.
CBC News reporters travelled to Uganda on November 21 for airing a series of news stories from both rural and urban areas, mainly focusing on issues related to the coronavirus pandemic and the political environment in the country in the lead up to the elections.
“Several hours of detention, escorted from location to location by armed guards with no explanation, and then deportation despite valid documents; this is an ideal case of intimidating the press in the lead up to what is an important election in Uganda. Not allowing foriegn press in the country, and imprisoning local reporters at the same time, launches huge concern over authenticity of the upcoming elections,” CFWIJ founding director Kiran Nazish. “We urge PM Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda to ensure a transparent electoral process takes place and that in the presence of free press.” she said.
Details of deportation:
According to CBC News foreign correspondent Margaret Evans, the team's application for the accreditation from the Media Council of Uganda was accepted, before they entered the country. The journalist also included that they sought advice from the Ugandan High Commission in London on the appropriate visa requirements before the trip. "They advised that we enter Uganda on an 'ordinary' or tourist visa. This is long-established practice for foreign journalists." she said.
Evans followed that last Thursday, five government officials came to the team's hotel in Kampala and wanted to confiscate their passports. Thereafter the officials offered the journalists to go to an undisclosed address and hotel security intervened. Eventually, the CBC team reached out to Canada's consulate in Uganda after contacting the CBC's London office manager.
The CBC News team arrived at the ministry last Friday with Canada's honorary vice-consul in Uganda. Evans added the CBC team were detained for several hours before informing they were deported. Then they were allowed to return to their hotel under armed guard before being taken to the airport.
Since the beginning of preparations for the presidential election, there has been a rise in alarming updates from Uganda. The current authoritarian regime is fighting for its existence by targeting journalists, political dissidents and leaders.
Journalist Sumy Sadruni and others were attacked, pepper-sprayed, and tear-gassed at the beginning of November after the arrest of opposition leader and presidential candidate, Bobi Wine while covering an electoral rally.
Our CFWIJ Research Coordinator Ceren İskit watches these appalling attacks against the journalists in Uganda with great concern. “This is not the first time we documented an incident in Uganda. The rising tension in the country is out of control now. It has become one of the most dangerous countries to be a journalist. It is deeply worrying.”
The CFWIJ condemns the unexpected deportation of Canadian journalists Margaret Evans and Lily Martin. Both journalists have been reporting on the critical situation on the ground with valid press credentials. We find this deportation an effort to curb press freedom and urge Ugandan authorities to reinstate reporters ability to do their jobs.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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