Uganda: Anti-Terror Unit Allegedly Electrocuted DetaineeGovernment Must Investigate Death in Custody and Close Safe Houses(New York, July 26, 2006) The Ugandan government must fully investigate the alleged torture and electrocution of a security detainee in a government safe house in Kampala on May 4, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the Ugandan government to close all safe houses, which are unauthorized secret detention centers used by state security agencies.
The anti-terrorist force runs a safe house in an upscale Kampala neighborhood where they torture suspected rebels and dissidents. And in this case, they allegedly killed a man by electrocuting him, said Jemera Rone, East Africa coordinator for Human Rights Watch. Abdu Semugenyi was not charged with any crime, the authorities denied he was in custody, and now hes dead. Other individuals detained in the safe house with Semugenyi told Human Rights Watch they witnessed him being tortured, and said some of them were tortured as well. One said that Semugenyi was electrocuted to death on May 4 and that he died crying for water. His body has not been recovered by his family. The authorities concocted a story that Semugenyi was killed while trying to escape from a safe house they had no right to hold him in, said Rone. Human Rights Watch called on the Ugandan government to conduct a full and impartial criminal investigation into Semugenyis death in custody and prosecute all those responsible for his death. The government should also promptly hand over Semugenyis body to his family for proper burial and provide financial redress for his mistreatment and death. Secret safe houses are not part of Ugandas legal detention system, said Rone. But the security and intelligence forces keep these illegal safe houses to hide the identities of those held for secret interrogation. In the past several years, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations have collected and published many accounts of people tortured in safe houses, including in the Kololo facility run by the Joint Anti-Terrorist Task Force. According to these reports, government agents detain individuals whom they suspect of being associated with rebel groups, such as the Allied Democratic Forces and the Peoples Redemption Army, as well as other political dissidents and treason suspects, to safe houses for interrogation for indeterminate periods of time.  Abdu Semugenyi © Private For example, a woman who was allegedly connected with Semugenyi, and was also charged with treason for subversive activities between 2004 and 2006, appeared in court nursing wounds she said were from torture by her government captors. The suspects are usually later transferred to Central Police Station in Kampala, where they may be charged with a crime or spend days or weeks before they are released. In a letter dated June 21, Human Rights Watch asked the Ugandan government to comment on the circumstances of Semugenyis death, but received no response. International human rights law, by which Uganda is bound, requires that a government investigate allegations of serious human rights violations. The United Nations Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions call upon governments to conduct thorough, prompt and impartial investigation of all suspected cases of extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions, including cases where complaints by relatives or other reliable reports suggest unnatural death. Ensuring that police, military and security officers are held fully accountable for any crimes that they commit is necessary for respect of human rights as well as for the maintenance of professionalism in the security and military intelligence forces. Human Rights Watch called on the Ugandan government to cease the use of safe houses and torture, and to detain and process suspects in accordance with international human rights standards. ==========================
Letter to Ugandan Minister of Internal AffairsTorture and Extrajudicial Execution of DetaineesDr. Ruhakana Rugunda The victim was among others arrested on suspicion of being associated with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels. He was detained in the village of Ntoroko in April 2006 while he was driving his vehicle, a Nissan Sahara pickup, registration number UAE 550N, in the company of one Zakariya Hassan. The two men were transferred to Karugutu barracks of the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) in western Uganda and from there taken to the safe house (illegal or ungazetted detention place) maintained by the Joint AntiTerrorist Task Force (JATT) in Kololo, Kampala. Persons detained in the same place as Semugenyi witnessed him being tortured; some of them were tortured as well. Eyewitnesses recall that Semugenyi was electrocuted to death and that he died crying for water. His body is missing. A photograph of Abdu Semygenyi provided by a family member is attached. While the authorities first denied his detention, they later claimed that Semugenyi was killed while trying to escape. The date given for his death is May 4. Others detained around the same time and apparently related to the same accusations as Semugenyi (association with the ADF) have been brought before the court and charged with treason. International human rights law requires that a government investigate allegations of serious human rights violations. According to the United Nations Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions (1989):
According to witnesses, those responsible for the detention, torture and death of Abdu Semugenyi were believed to be in the employ of the Chieftancy of Military Intelligence (CMI), who report to the coordinator of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT), Captain Kamusiime. We urge that your investigation include them. Ensuring that the police, military and security officers responsible are held fully accountable for any crimes that they commit is necessary for respect of human rights as well as the maintenance of professional security and military intelligence forces. This letter is sent to you in advance of our publication of the information we have on this death. If you send a response on or before July 1, we will consider including its contents in our upcoming press release. Thank you. Very truly yours, Jemera Rone East Africa Coordinator Cc: Mr. Crispus Kiyonga, Minister of Defence Ambassador Francis Butagira Lt Col James Mugira, Chieftancy of Military Intelligence Mr. Robert Kabushenga
The Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
The
anti-terrorist force runs a safe house in an upscale Kampala
neighborhood where they torture suspected rebels and dissidents. And
in this case, they allegedly killed a man by electrocuting him. 
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