[UAH] International Media write to Museveni over siege

NATIONAL

International Media write to Museveni over siege

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By MERCY NALUGO

Posted  Tuesday, May 28  2013 at  19:26

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KAMPALA

The international media have condemned the closure of the Daily Monitor and the Red Pepper newspapers and petitioned President Museveni over the matter.

Journalists under the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IRFA) and World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries, in a Monday letter to President Museveni, urged the government to respect international obligations on media freedom.

In the letter signed by Mr Jacob Mathew the president WAN-IRFA and Mr Erik Bjerager the president of World Editors' Forum, the journalists asked government to immediately open the closed media houses and to ensure Uganda fully commits itself to the international obligations.

"…we respectfully call on you to immediately end the blockade of the Daily Monitor, Red Pepper, KFM and Dembe FM so that they carry out their journalistic role of informing the public," reads the letter in part.

"We urge you to take all possible steps to ensure that in future, Uganda fully respects its international obligations to freedom of expression."

Gun-wielding police officers have since Monday 20th last week cordoned off Monitor Publications Limited premises in Namuwongo and Red Pepper offices in Namanve, disabled the printing press and switched off KFM and Dembe FM— after producing search warrants in quest of a letter written by Gen. David Sejjusa, the Coordinator of Security Services.

mnalugo@ug.nationmedia.com