Stella Nyanzi convicted of cyber harassment of Uganda President

“The Ugandan authorities must scrap the Computer Misuse Act 2011 which has been used systematically to harass, intimidate and stifle government critics like Stella Nyanzi.”

Responding to the guilty verdict for Ugandan academic Stella Nyanzi on the charge of cyber harassment of President Yoweri Museveni, Amnesty International's Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes Joan Nyanyuki said:

"Stella Nyanzi has been criminalized solely for her creative flair of using metaphors and what may be considered insulting language to criticize President Museveni's leadership. The mere fact that forms of expression are considered insulting to a public figure is not sufficient ground to penalize anyone. Public officials, including those exercising the highest political authority, are legitimately subject to criticism and political opposition.

"This verdict is outrageous and flies in the face of Uganda's obligations to uphold the right to freedom of expression for all people in Uganda and demonstrates the depths of the government's intolerance of criticism. It must be quashed and Stella Nyanzi, who has already suffered enormously for expressing her opinions, let to get on with her life.

"The Ugandan authorities must scrap the Computer Misuse Act 2011 which has been used systematically to harass, intimidate and stifle government critics like Stella Nyanzi."

(With Inputs from APO)