Journalists in Uganda who write about local rebellions could be facing a death sentence under an anti-terrorism law. According to this law, passed in May 2002, journalists who write articles considered to encourage terrorism can be jailed for up to ten years or sentenced to death. In Uganda there are several rebel movements described as terrorists by the government. Writing article about them can thus lead to ten years imprisonment or a death sentence.

RAP 21 spoke to David Ouma Balikowa, the managing editor of the independent daily "The Monitor" and president of the East African Media Institute Uganda Chapter.

RAP 21: How does the new anti-terrorism law influence the Ugandan press?

Balikowa: The law hands out a death sentence to journalists found guilty of publishing or airing information deemed by the state to promote terrorism. In a country where rebel activity is the order of the day and where the definition of who is a terrorist is so fluid, reporting on armed conflict is like committing professional suicide. On many occasions, government officials have banded the media together with rebels as enemies that must be dealt with. The law is basically aimed at keeping the media away from reporting on the various rebel wars in the country, leaving the state to be the only source of information.

RAP 21: How does the new law law influence the daily work of Ugandan journalists?

Balikowa: Journalists are scared of writing about the rebel wars in the country. Last October 10, three journalists of The Monitor were arrested and charged for publishing an article saying that rebels in the north of the country had shot down an army helicopter. The newspaper was searched by the police, our computers and servers were impounded and the offices were closed down for seven days. The move sent a chilling effect down the spines of journalists in the country.

RAP 21: What other legal means of suppression are being used by the government?

Balikowa: There are the laws of sedition, of criminal libel, of publication of false news and of criminal defamation with the goal to censure, harass and arrest journalists with the net effect of making journalism a risky profession. The laws are inconsistent with civilised rule and Uganda’s constitution which guarantees freedom of speech. There are also other indirect economic and political means used to harass the media, including denial of adverts from government departments and unrealistic taxation.

The Ugandan government even plans to strengthen their grip on media this year. During a meeting with journalists in January, Information State Minister Basoga Nsadhu said: "This year we are determined to clean up our house. We are going to implement all the media laws that we had shelved for the last number of years because the media as an industry was still young. Now they are mature. We are now going to enforce the Press and Journalists Statute of 1995, the Electronic Media Statute of 1997, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 and other laws relevant to the media."