The authorities of Uganda obtained criminal charges on the award-winning author, whose ongoing detention has been in the limelight at home and abroad.
The author “Kakwenza Rukirabashaija” who has been in custody since December 28, was charged with two counts of “Offensive communication.” for his alleged efforts on Twitter to “disturb the peace of mind” of President “Yoweri Museveni” and his son, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. He supervises the East African nation’s infantry forces.
According to Police, Rukirabashaija has since been taken to a maximum-security prison outside Kampala.
However, his lawyer, ‘Eron Kiiza’, said that his client had been “secretly remanded” after being charged without giving the notice to defence lawyers.
The next appearance of Rukirabashaija’s in the court held on January 21.
He added, “it is unfair and irregular, adding that those who saw his client in the court described him as a sick man and weak.”
The case of Rukirabashaija’s has continued to focus on the security forces’ apparent excesses in enforcing Museveni’s government.
The government of Uganda were under pressure after the two judicial orders to release Rukirabashaija, including one by a high court judge for security officials to present the suspect in public.
Many people, including Activists, opposition figures and others in Uganda and outside, demanded the release of Rukirabashaija’s and said while in custody, he is facing torture.
United States Embassy in Uganda also gave orders to release Rukirabashaija’s, saying that “civil society, human rights defenders, journalists and much more play a crucial role in a democratic society and should be able to carry their work by their own style without harassment.”
Rukirabashaija’s who writes as satirical friction, has been detained twice on his work, highlighting the failures of Museveni, who was the Uganda leader since 1986.
The second time, he was detained because of his tweets in which he described Museveni as an election thief and his first son Kainerugaba as overweight, and he was a bankrupt soldier. He hoped to succeed his father as president.
Rukirabashaija is a 33-year-old and the PEN Pinter Award winner for an international writer of courage.