Uganda’s Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, has hired an international law firm Amsterdam & Partners LLP.
According to the Ugandan government, Bobi wine is currently facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition,.
Earlier on he was arrested on claims of obstructing the motorcade of President Yoweri Museveni during campaigns in Arua Municipality.
According to the lead Lawyer Robert Amsterdam he termed his client’s arrest as “politically motivated act of repression” and alleges that he has been tortured in custody.
He further added saying, “Mr Kyagulanyi’s arrest was not only a politically motivated act of repression, but furthermore he has since been subjected to inhuman and horrific acts of torture by the Ugandan security services from which it is possible he may never recover.”
In addition, “This outrageous and reprehensible act of state aggression— an episode not seen since the days of Idi Amin— requires a robust and broad response from the international community to secure his safety and to bring his torturers to account. The army, which is holding Mr Kyagulanyi, denies that he has been tortured and President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed the claims as “fake news”.
Bobi Wine was arrest, alongside 34 other people, while President Museveni was campaigning in Arua, soon after was accused of leading protesters who were throwing rocks at the president’s car.
A night before he was arrested, his driver was shot dead by soldiers or presidential guards.
He has been held since last week, along with four fellow MPs and dozens of others.
Uganda Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanya visited Mr Kyagulanyi at the Makindye Military Barracks.
Mr Oulanyah confirmed the MP’s poor state of health.
According to Mr Oulanyah, “I talked with Hon Kyagulanyi but he is in a lot of pain. He is however in a uniquely humorous mood and we were laughing with him.”
Mr Amsterdam is recommending that the US should “hit [government] officials in their wallets with a Magnitsky-style sanctions schedule as they need to understand the consequences of this attack on human rights”.
The Global Magnitsky Act, which was passed by the US Congress with broad bipartisan support in 2016 in honour of the murdered Russian whistleblower-lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, empowers the US government to impose visa bans and targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for human rights violations anywhere in the world.
“The situation for Mr Kyagulanyi is profoundly grave, immediate, and deserving of urgent action and intervention,” said Mr Amsterdam.
“When a state behaves with this level of impunity and violence, there are few statements or resolutions that will stop them from the murder of an innocent opponent like Bobi Wine.”