Blood on the floor of the HRAPF offices that were raided by unknown assailants on Friday morning. PML Daily photo.
Unidentified people raided the offices of Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) at Prof Apollo Road in Namirembe today (Friday) morning at 3:00 am.
According to HRAPF Ag Deputy Executive Director, Ms Joaninne Nanyenge, the assailants jumped over the fence into offices and beat up the guards severely. The reason for the raid, however, has not yet been confirmed.
“We are yet to establish the damage but it seems they did not take anything given that our computers are all available. However, our guards were badly beaten and one sustained a skull fracture,” Ms Nanyenge said.
During the scuffle, HRAPF security guards were badly injured and according to Ms Nanyenge, Mr Godfrey Okwii got a skull fracture while Sseezi Bwambale sustained minor injuries. The duo were rushed to the Nsambya Hospital by police after being alerted by neighbours who heard the scuffle.
“Police was very responsive, after they were alerted, in fact they helped us to rush our injured guards to Nsambya [Hospital] thanks to old Kampala OC,” she added.
HRAAF is a Ugandan fully registered human rights non-governmental organisation with its Secretariat in Kampala, advocating for harmonisation and standardisation of legal aid service provision by the different service providers, lobbying and advocating for a favorable legal and policy environment in the country.
The raid on HRAAF offices is similar to several others that have occurred targeting offices of non-governmental organisation.
In May 2016, the same offices were raided and the security guard Mr Emmanuel Arituha was murdered and one television set was robbed.
She added that police did not give them a conclusive report on the May 2016 invasion of their offices but police is yet comment on the raid.
The raid on HRAAF offices is similar to several others that have occurred targeting offices of non-governmental organisation over the past few years. A number of similar cases have been registered in the past few years including Legal Aid Service Providers Network (LASPNET).
Other Organisations include Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ-Uganda), Reach the Youth Uganda Action Group for Health Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) and Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CEDDU).
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