U.S. sanctions four Uganda police officials over human rights abuses

The U.S. Department of State has designated four senior officials from the Uganda Police Force for their involvement in severe human rights violations. These violations include acts of torture and other forms of cruel treatment. The officials affected by the sanctions are Bob Kagarura, Alex Mwine, Elly Womanya, and Hamdani Twesigye.

In a statement released, the U.S. government announced that the sanctions would prohibit these officials and their immediate families from entering the United States. This action reflects the U.S. government’s ongoing commitment to promoting accountability for human rights abuses globally.

The State Department highlighted that these sanctions are part of a broader strategy to hold individuals and regimes accountable for undermining the rights and freedoms of citizens. The targeted Ugandan officials have been implicated in multiple incidents of brutality, including cases of torture, during their tenure with the Uganda Police Force.

These measures come as part of heightened international scrutiny on Uganda’s human rights record. The U.S. reaffirmed its stance on supporting efforts to safeguard human dignity and urged other nations to take similar steps in addressing abuses in Uganda.