A Nigerian lawyer has asked the United Nations (UN) to launch investigations into detention of Ugandan politician Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine by authorities.
The musician-turned-politician and his wife Barbara Itungo Kyagulanyi have been under house arrest since President Yoweri Museveni was declared the winner of the January 14, General Election, with soldiers surrounding his home reportedly blocking the media, friends and officials of his National Unity Platform (NUP) party from visiting him.
In a complainant filed on behalf of Wine, Femi Falana, who doubles up as a human rights activist, wants the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to declare the house arrest of Wine and his wife arbitrary and violation of Uganda’s Constitution and obligations under international human rights law including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human Rights and People’s Rights to which Uganda is a state party.
“The Government of the Republic of Uganda is arbitrarily depriving activist, musician, journalist and politician Bobs Wine of his liberty and continue to arbitrarily put him and his wife, Barbara Itungo Kyagulanyi, under house arrest, detained incommunicado and without access to the outside world including his lawyers, ” the advocate said.
Read: US Ambassador To Uganda Allegedly Turned Away From Bobi Wine’s Home
“…Mr Wine and his wife are being illegally detained for days without any criminal charges preferred against him. He has also been denied supply of food by hundreds of Uganda military forces and policemen who have laid siege to his house for the umpteenth time since the election day.”
On Sunday Wine said his family had run out of food supplies accusing the military of blocking attempts to restock.
Yesterday, the 38-year-old said they are stuck with an 18-month-old baby whose food has also run out.
“Day Six under house arrest and we’re still stuck with an 18 months old baby who had paid a visit to her auntie (my wife ) be4 we were raided & besieged. The Dad has been denied access to her. We have run out of food and milk. No one is allowed to leave or come into our compound, ” Wine tweeted.
Day Six under house arrest and we're still stuck with an 18 months old baby who had paid a visit to her auntie (my wife ) be4 we were raided & besieged. The Dad has been denied access to her. We have run out of food and milk. No one is allowed to leave or come into our compound. pic.twitter.com/KVLDR3IH6y
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) January 19, 2021
Read Also: Bobi Wine Says Family Has Run Out Of Food, Military Blocking Attempts To Restock
Citing Wines predicaments the lawyer said, “it is hereby requested that the Working Group consider this Individual Complaint a formal request for an opinion of the Working Group pursuant to Resolution 1997/50 of the Commission on Human Rights, as reiterated by Resolutions 2000/36, 2003/31, and Human Rights Council Resolutions 6/4, 15/18, 20/16 and 24/7.”
Prior to polling day, Museveni’s administration shut down the internet amid rigging claims by the opposition.
Wine, who was arrested many times in the period leading up to the election, maintains that the election was rigged.
Museveni, 76, is yet to be sworn in for his sixth term in office.
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