A Ugandan activist, one of dozens of people arrested this week for taking part in banned protests, was sexually abused in custody, his lawyer said.
More than 90 young people have been arrested and some were accused of causing a nuisance after anti-corruption protests in the capital Kampala.
Some of those released from detention have also reportedly said they were sexually abused while in police cells, leading to widespread criticism. But police denied the allegation.
The two-day anti-corruption demonstrations continued on Tuesday and Thursday despite a warning from President Yoweri Museveni that the demonstrators “playing with fire“.
The protesters, inspired by recent anti-tax demonstrations in Kenya, demanded the resignation of the parliament speaker, who has been accused of corruption, which she denies.
But Ugandan riot police quickly put an end to the protests, pushing several young activists, including a well-known TV presenter, into the backs of trucks.
Some face multiple charges, but an unknown number remain in police custody, local media reported.
Referring to allegations of sexual abuse his client had suffered, lawyer Eron Kiiza said that while it is not common for people to be attacked in this manner in police cells, it has happened.
“He was sodomised immediately after his arrest,” he told the BBC.
The lawyer explained that police are convinced that the protesters are supported by foreign financiers – a reference to those who have withdrawn funding or who criticism of Uganda for passing the world’s toughest anti-homosexuality laws last year.
“The police think homosexuals are financing the protests,” said Kiiza, who added that his client was told during the attack: “‘Now you deserve it.’”
“It happens in the desperation of some men in the police (who try) to find a link between the protests and the so-called foreign financiers,” the lawyer said.
“It’s like an act of revenge.”
Mr Kiiza said he had medical documents proving the sexual abuse and would use them to sue the authorities once his client completed treatment and rehabilitation.
He would not name his client or the station where the alleged abuse took place, citing safety concerns.
Other activists, both men and women, were also sexually abused during their detention, opposition leader said Bobi Wine has claimed.
“Only a few of them had the courage to speak publicly about their ordeal. Many of them have come forward to us but are afraid or ashamed to speak publicly about it,” Bobi Wine, a former pop star whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi added.
The accusation sparked outrage on social media, with Ugandans demanding an independent investigation into the matter.
“If it is true, may the Lord judge those who do this!” Youth Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, posted on X.
The minister acknowledged that the allegations were dehumanizing and said the country’s police chief should investigate this.
The American Embassy in Kampala said in a statement: “We urge that all allegations of ill-treatment of individuals in detention be investigated and that perpetrators be held accountable.”
However, police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke called the allegations “baseless” and “malicious”.
“The police are very aware of the rights of suspects and take their responsibilities seriously,” Mr Rusoke added in a statement.
On Thursday, President Museveni praised the police for suppressing the protests, which he said were funded by “foreign sources”.
“Very bad things” about the protesters would come to light in court, he added in his post on X.
Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees.
“The heavy-handed tactics used by the Ugandan government to suppress and silence peaceful protesters demonstrate a clear crackdown on dissent,” the rights group added. in a statement.
You may also be interested in:
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
follow us on twitter @BBCAfricaon Facebook on BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
BBC Africa Podcasts
