Douglas Bulongo

Cases

Relevant SG report

From Country

Country Geolocation

Latitude: 1.373333

Longitude: 32.290275

From Region

UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report

Individual's/organization's activity: Executive Director of the United Association for Peace and Development, for his participation in a submission by the Lutheran World Federation to the universal periodic review of Uganda

Type of rights defended

Was the victim a civil servant, member of the security forces or of the judiciary?: No

Reported trigger of reprisal: Executive Director of the United Association for Peace and Development, for his participation in a submission by the Lutheran World Federation to the universal periodic review of Uganda

Engagement with UN body

Type of attempted engagement

Dates of mentioned reprisals: 1 March 2016; 19 March 2016; 20 March 2016; 01 April 2016

Reprisal information: On 1 March 2016, after having returned home from a workshop in preparation of the submission to the review of Uganda, a group of armed men broke into Mr. Bulongo’s home and led all his family members into one room. They left only after Mr. Bulongo had handed over all the workshop documents on the review process of Uganda. Mr. Bulongo reported the incident to the police, along with five subsequent incidents, which involved attacks by armed people, but he did not receive any assistance. On the night of 19 March, Mr. Bulongo, after having heard noises, stepped outside his home to find an unconscious man lying on his driveway. He took the injured man to the local police station where the man reportedly later died. In the early morning of 20 March, Mr. Bulongo was arrested and detained by police officers. On 1 April, Mr. Bulongo appeared before Makindye Court, where he was informed that a charge of manslaughter had been filed against him, before being transferred to Luzira prison pending trial.

Types of reprisals suffered

Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?: No

Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?: No

Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?: No

Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?: No

Follow up information provided in SG report 0: 7.The report on cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights of 16 August 2016 (see A/HRC/33/19) referred to the case of Douglas Bulongo, the Executive Director of the United Association for Peace and Development, who was subjected to reprisals in connection withhis role in the submission of a report by the Lutheran World Federation to the universal periodic review on Uganda in November 2016. Mr. Bulongo was allegedly attacked on multiple occasions, including an instance on 1 March 2016 when a group of armed men broke into his home and led all his family members into one room.The armed men remained in Mr. Bulongo’s home until he handed over all the workshop documents on the review process of Uganda (A/HRC/33/19, para.31).On 20 March 2016 Mr. Bulongowas arrested and detained by police officers.He has reportedly since been granted bail by the court, yet still remains in hiding as he has allegedly been receiving threats by unknown persons