The opposition has welcomed the sanctions imposed on Uganda’s Commissioner General of Prisons, Mr Johnson Byabashaija, saying it’s an opportunity to hold all people involved in human rights violations accountable.
The Leader of Opposition Mr Mathias Mpuuga made the remarks while addressing journalists at Parliament where he said that Uganda is part of the global family of humans, and therefore, matters that concern Ugandans whose rights are being violated by people in positions of protection and responsibility is “a very serious matter”.
He said that the Babashaija and others should account for the victims of torture since they have been admitting them to prison but they have never exposed the people who torture the suspects and dump them in prison.
If you are Prisons, they bring you a suspect tortured, you don’t accommodate that suspect. The fact that they haven’t come out, not to accept the tortured victims, it is the reason why they must account. A prisoner whose matter hasn’t been heard is presumed innocent, but also, there is nowhere in our penal laws where a person charged and found guilty is supposed to be tortured. So it all represents violation and we welcome these sanctions, I hope they offer the necessary lessons to all and sundry that human rights must be respected,” said Mpuuga.
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Byabashaija for alleged gross human rights abuses targeted at government critics and marginalized groups since 2005.
