Ugandan individuals and organisations responsible for human rights violations face punishment from the European Union according to resolutions adopted on Thursday.
The European Union took time debating issues Uganda and agreed that individuals and organisations that participate in the violation of human rights face sanctions under the EU Magnitsky Act.
“Parliament reiterates that sanctions against individuals and organisations responsible for human rights violations in Uganda must be adopted under the new EU human rights sanction mechanism, the so-called EU Magnitsky Act,” one of the resolutions adopted reads.
On 7 December 2020, the European Union passed the European Magnitsky Act, which wills the organization to “freeze assets and impose travel bans on individuals involved in serious human rights abuses”.
It can be traced to the Magnitsky legislation which refers to laws providing for governmental sanctions against foreign individuals who have committed human rights abuses or been involved in significant corruption. They originated with the United States which passed the first Magnitsky legislation in 2012, following the death of Sergei Magnitsky in Russia in 2009. Since then, a number of countries have passed similar legislation including Russia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The EU Parliament also condemned the ‘crackdown on civil society and political activists.
“All those arrested and detained for participating in peaceful political assemblies or for exercising their right to freedom of expression and association must be released,” it says.
It also questioned the just concluded general elections saying they “were neither democratic nor transparent.” The EU did not send observers for the polls despite the Uganda Electoral Commission insisting it had accredited it.
The text was approved by 632 votes in favour, 15 against and 48 abstentions.
Government of Uganda is yet to respond to the development.
In 2018, Uganda’s government accused the EU parliament of attempting to hijack and subvert the country’s institutions.