A new report has revealed that 1,227 suspects were tortured in Uganda in 2015. This revelation was made by the Africa Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV), a non -governmental organisation charged with providing services to survivors and victims of torture in Uganda.
The ACTV programme director, Mr Micheal Bamulengeyo, said the organisation conducts visits to police stations, army barracks and prisons as part of its investigations into alleged human rights abuses in detention facilities.
"We found out that last year alone new torture victims were 1,227, meaning that torture is still a big challenge in this country," Mr Bamulangeyo told Daily Monitor during an interview last Friday at Boma ground in Kasese Town after a one-day training workshop on human rights.
Mr Bamulangeyo, however, acknowledged that many cases have been listened to under the human rights commission's tribunal where some have been compensated for damages caused.
Police community liason officer Moris Sunday, who was at the training, defended police detention for more than 48 hours saying it only applies to capital offenses which need more time for inquiries.
Last week, Rwenzori region police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe defended operations of the Flying Squad, which was accused of torturing suspects, saying it was their mandate to use reasonable force to execute their duties.
The numbers
The Africa Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV) says 1002 torture cases were registered in 2014.
A Uganda Human Rights Commission report that was released in 2013 states that torture and cruel treatment or punishment increased from 23.7 per cent in 2007 to 28.3 per cent in 2010, 34.77 per cent in 2011 and to 35.31 per cent in 2012.
The report, indicates that the human rights body registered 706 cases in 2012 compared to 1, 021 in 2011, a 31 per cent decrease. Cases against the police, decreased from 457 in 2011 to 346 in 2012.
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