Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that charges of trespassing have been brought against Pepe Julian Onziema, Valentine Kalende and Usaam Mukwaaya, defenders of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Kampala, Uganda. Pepe Julian Onziema, Valentine Kalende and Usaam Mukwaaya work for Sexual Minorities in Uganda (SMUG), an organisation dedicated to the defence of LGBT rights. The charges were brought against them following their arrests on 4 June 2008 during a peaceful protest at the HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting, an annual event described as an opportunity for HIV programme implementers to share lessons learned and best practices in an effort to strengthen the efficacy of HIV/AIDS programmes. The event is co-sponsored by the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), UNAIDS, the World Bank, the Global Fund, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+).

Further Information

Posted 11/06/2008 On 4 June 2008, Pepe Julian Onziema, Valentine Kalende and Usaam Mukwaaya were arbitrarily arrested at the 2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting in Kampala immediately after distributing leaflets and holding up placards about the issue of HIV in the LGBT community. The human rights defenders were publicising this information in protest against a statement made by Dr Kihumuro Apuuli, Director General of the Uganda AIDS Commission, on 2 June 2008, confirming that programmes would not be directed towards LGBT groups despite them being at high risk of contracting AIDS. They were detained at the Jinja Road Police station and were released on 6 June 2008.

A laptop computer and two mobile telephones were confiscated from Pepe Julian Onziema and Valentine Kalende. This property has since been returned to its owners. Usaam Mukwaaya was re-arrested on 7 June 2008, again at the 2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting. He was released after being detained for four and a half hours and told to report to the police station on 10 June 2008, accused of having forged his accreditation card permitting his attendance at the meeting. On 10 June 2008, when he reported to the station, the forgery charges were dropped. However, his accreditation card was retained by the police although it will be needed as evidence for the court hearing of the three human rights defenders on 20 June 2008. Pepe Julian Onziema, Valentine Kalende and Usaam Mukwaaya have been charged under section 305 of the Ugandan Penal Code with trespassing at the meeting and could face up to one year's imprisonment.

Despite the fact that accredited cards for attendance at the meeting were given to all three human rights defenders, the police have not dropped the charges of trespassing. However, UNAIDS has submitted a statement to the Ugandan Police saying that Unaam Mukwaaya's card was not forged and was officially issued by sponsors of the meeting. The sponsors had also given an official letter to the three human rights defenders, as well as three accredited official cards permitting their attendance at the meeting.

Front Line believes that the LGBT human rights defenders have been targeted as a result of their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular their work to promote protection against HIV/AIDS in the LGBT community in Uganda.