Main content

Tortured for tweeting?

When a Ugandan satirist mocked the president鈥檚 son on Twitter, he says it led to his torture. And his story is just one of hundreds of alleged human rights abuses in the country.

When Kakwenza Rukirabashaija mocked the Ugandan president鈥檚 son on Twitter, he knew he was playing with fire. Within 24 hours, the satirist had been arrested, and says he was tortured before fleeing the country. Throughout the ordeal, he has not stopped tweeting. He wants the world to know what is happening in Uganda before he returns to face trial, risking his life in the process.

Kakwenza鈥檚 story is not unique, A report from Human Rights Watch says hundreds of people - opponents of President Yoweri Museveni - have been illegally detained and tortured in recent years.

We meet members of the Ugandan diaspora protesting the government鈥檚 actions online. They say their accounts have been hacked and hijacked by government-sponsored cybercriminals. And that even overseas, they may not be completely safe.

Reporter: Sam Judah

(Photo: Kakwenza Rukirabashaija in court in Kampala in February, facing charges of offensive communication involving insulting the country's ruling family. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

18 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 May 2022 09:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 30 Apr 2022 04:32GMT
  • Sat 30 Apr 2022 17:32GMT
  • Sat 30 Apr 2022 22:32GMT
  • Sat 30 Apr 2022 23:32GMT
  • Sun 1 May 2022 00:32GMT
  • Sun 1 May 2022 22:32GMT
  • Mon 2 May 2022 09:32GMT

Podcast