By Ben Musanje
The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has pledged legal support for detained journalist Arnold Anthony Mukose while demanding his immediate and unconditional release, following what it describes as an unlawful abduction by security operatives.
In a strongly worded statement, the ULS’s President Isaac Ssemakadde said the society is prepared to provide legal representation to Mukose and his family and will pursue all available legal and institutional avenues to safeguard his constitutional rights. The intervention places the legal body at the forefront of efforts to challenge what it calls a growing pattern of intimidation against journalists.
Mukose, a co-founder and Programmes Director at Alternative Digitalk Media, was reportedly seized on Sunday by plain-clothed operatives shortly after appearing on a political talk show on Metro FM 90 in Old Kampala. He had been discussing a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court of Uganda that nullified the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act 2022.
Witnesses said about five men intercepted him as he exited the station and forced him into a waiting vehicle before driving off at high speed. His lawyer, Kato Tumusiime, later said operatives believed to be attached to the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force transported Mukose to his home in Lukuli-Nanganda, where they conducted a search and seized electronic devices, including a laptop and mobile phones.
Mukose was later detained at Old Kampala Police Station under what authorities described as a “general inquiry,” with no formal charges filed by the time of reporting.
ULS, aligning itself with the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), condemned the incident as part of a broader pattern of harassment, political persecution, and enforced disappearances targeting media practitioners and civil society actors.
Ssemakadde underscored Mukose’s professional background and legal significance, noting that he is the third petitioner in Constitutional Petition No. 34 of 2022, through which he and others successfully challenged the now-nullified law. He also highlighted Mukose’s previous service on the Uganda Journalists Association Cabinet (2018–2020) as Secretary for Human Rights and Media Safety, where he coordinated legal support for journalists at risk and led advocacy efforts on press freedom.
Central to ULS’s argument was the principle that court decisions are public and open to scrutiny. “A court judgment is not a private matter,” the Society stated. “It is a public pronouncement delivered in the name of the people. Every citizen has the right to analyse, debate, question, and disseminate its implications. Discussing a court decision is not a crime.”
The Society warned that Mukose’s detention, coming shortly after his public commentary on the ruling, risks creating a chilling effect on journalists and undermining democratic governance. It rejected what it termed a “culture of fear and intimidation,” stressing that the role of journalists in holding power to account remains essential to the rule of law.
Ssemakadde further expressed concern that threats against journalists are persisting beyond the election period, with enforced disappearances resurfacing. He called on international bodies—including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, the Uganda Human Rights Commission, and UNESCO—to urgently monitor the situation.
Mukose is among a group of human rights activists, lawyers, and journalists whose petition led to the Constitutional Court’s March 17 ruling that the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act 2022 had been passed without the required parliamentary quorum, rendering it unconstitutional. His lawyer suggested the arrest may be linked to both his role in the petition and his continued criticism of the law.
As of Monday, no official statement had been issued by police or any security agency regarding the circumstances of his arrest, raising further concern among legal and media stakeholders about accountability and the protection of fundamental freedoms in Uganda. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
