Rights Watch urges Uganda to overturn decision to close UN Human Rights Office

Human Rights Watch has urged the government of Uganda to reverse its decision to end the mandate of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Uganda.

On February 6th, 2023, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry informed the OHCHR Uganda country office that it would not renew its agreement to host the UN entity beyond its current three-year term ending in February 2023.

In a statement dated February, 15^th 2023, Oryem Nyeko a Ugandan researcher at the Human Rights Watch says shutting down the UN human rights office is a move intended to stifle those working to promote respect for human rights in Uganda, and removes a critical voice from the human rights ecosystem.

He says Human Rights Watch has since written to the Foreign Affairs ministry permanent secretary Vincent Bagiire with questions about the government’s position on the UN rights office but Bagiire referred them to the ministry’s earlier communication on the matter.

Written by Juliet Nalwooga