Case History: James Odongo
On 24 November 2015, journalist Mr James Odongo received a threatening anonymous call warning him that his life would be in danger if he does not stop investigating a reported case of evictions and land disputes in the Soroti District.
James Odongo is a journalist affiliated with ETOP, a subsidiary of New Vision Printing & Publishing Company, a major multimedia conglomerate in Uganda. ETOP covers the Teso region, in North-Eastern Uganda, where it owns both a radio station and a newspaper. James Odongo works as a journalist, broadcaster, writer and talk show host covering a variety of human rights-related issues including good governance, the rule of law, gender and environmental protection.
On 24 November 2015, James Odongo received a threatening call in which an unidentified male voice on the other side of the line warned him to "stop meddling in the affairs of Soroti University." The journalist published an investigatory story into a land dispute between local communities in Soroti and Soroti University and the risk that communities may be evicted. He also reported that influential individuals have used the university's name to unlawfully obtain private land and use it for personal profit.
James Odongo's most recent article, published in ETOP in October 2015, documented such instances. Another article published by James Odongo in ETOP, in July 2015, denounced extra-judicial killings in the Teso region, which reportedly involved the local police. The article alleged that at least 10 killings occurred in 2015.
James Odongo has also received repeated threats and warnings on social media websites. The most recent warning was sent by an official of Uganda Media Centre, a body under the Presidency of the Republic. The post read: "The Media Centre and the Media Council have received reports of activity on your facebook page that is unbecoming of a professional journalist. You are not to engage in negative activism against government using your profession and the following you have from Etop. This is a warning to you, that if you do not desist from these actions, action may be taken against you. Please be warned."
The journalist previously suffered other forms of harassment. In June 2014, he was arrested by police officers from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) on allegations described by police as 'computer misuse', despite the fact that there is no such offence under Ugandan law.
