Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Arnold Anthony Mukose following his reported abduction by unidentified plain-clothed operatives in Kampala.
In a statement issued on Monday, ULS President Isaac Ssemakadde condemned the incident, describing it as part of a growing pattern of intimidation targeting journalists.
“We demand for his unconditional release and an end to all forms of political persecution, including the harassment of professional journalists and the scourge of enforced disappearances,” Ssemakadde said, adding that public discussion of court decisions is a constitutional right.
“A court judgment is not a private matter. It is a public pronouncement of the law… Discussing a court decision is not a crime,” he added.
Mukose, a senior journalist and Programmes Director at Alternative Digitalk Media, was reportedly seized on Sunday afternoon shortly after hosting a radio programme on Metro FM 90.8 analysing the Constitutional Court’s decision to nullify sections of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022.
Witnesses said Mukose was grabbed by about five men in plain clothes at around 1:00pm outside Metro FM in Old Kampala and forced into a waiting van.
“They jumped out, grabbed him, and pushed him into the vehicle. He asked who they were and where they were taking him, but they only said they were security personnel,” a witness said.
Mukose’s lawyer, Kato Tumusiime, said operatives later took him to his home in Lukuli-Nanganda, where they conducted a search and seized electronic devices, including a laptop and mobile phones.
He was subsequently detained at Old Kampala Police Station, but no charges have been filed. “They’ve only opened a general inquiry. I believe they are still looking for charges, especially since the law he challenged has been nullified,” Tumusiime said.
By press time, no official statement had been issued by police or any security agency regarding the arrest.
Link to landmark court petition
Mukose is among the petitioners in Constitutional Petition No. 34 of 2022, which successfully challenged the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act.
The Constitutional Court, earlier this month, ruled that the law had been passed without the required quorum, rendering it unconstitutional, prompting the Attorney General to suspend its enforcement. Now observers say Mukose’s role in the petition and his continued public commentary may have placed him at risk.
The Uganda Law Society called on international bodies, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, UNESCO, the Uganda Human Rights Commission, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, to urgently intervene.
“The abduction of journalists is resurfacing, and threats against their professional duty are persisting beyond the election period,” Ssemakadde warned, pledging to provide legal support to Mukose and his family.
The ULS response comes just hours after the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) also condemned the incident, describing it as an attack on press freedom and journalist safety. “We demand the unconditional release of Mukose and call on authorities to explain his abduction,” the association said.
Mr Mukose is the co-founder and Programmes Director of Alternative Digitalk Media, and the third petitioner in Constitutional Petition No. 34 of 2022: Alternative Digitalk Media & 11 others v Attorney General, challenging the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act.
He previously served 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, raised awareness on media safety, and led advocacy initiatives for press freedom.
His reported abduction adds to growing concern among media and civil society actors over the safety of journalists, particularly those involved in governance and legal accountability debates.
The Uganda Law Society said it is prepared to render legal support and representation to Mr Mukose and his family. “We will closely monitor developments in this matter and pursue all appropriate legal and institutional avenues to secure the protection of his constitutional rights,” Ssemakadde noted.
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