At least 42 protesters were in court in Uganda on Tuesday for offences allegedly committed during a banned youth-led demonstration in the capital Kampala.
The young protesters had earlier on Tuesday marched on the city’s streets to denounce what they say are corruption and human rights abuses by lawmakers.
The charges against the protesters outline offences including being “idle and disorderly” and being a “common nuisance”, a charge that has often been used by authorities to supress protests.
They pleaded not guilty and were ordered to return to court at different dates between July 30 and August 6.
Opposition leaders, including Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform, say embezzlement and misuse of government funds are widespread in Uganda and have long accused President Yoweri Museveni of failing to prosecute corrupt officials who are loyal to him. He has repeatedly denied condoning corruption.
The NUP headquarters were surrounded by soldiers and police on Tuesday, with Wine saying that some party officials had been “violently arrested”. He has denied that the NUP are behind the protest.
Human Rights Watch have accused the government of a “blatant violent of the rights to peaceful assembly and free speech, guaranteed in Uganda’s constitution and international law.”
HRW said that charges should be dropped and that the concerns of the protesters should instead be heard by authorities.
