Solidarity to Detained Activists in Uganda

Since the beginning of September Solidarity Uganda and its allies have come out vocally in word and action against president Yoweri Museveni's attempts to prolong his 31-year rule. Arrests and crackdowns around the country have been fierce as he tries to change the constitution to stay in power.

The police forcefully invaded Solidarity Uganda offices in Lira on Thursday the 21st, arresting northern coordinator Dickens Otim, who was illegally detained for more than 48 hours and still remain in police costody. Monday the 26th in the morning, a second raid resulted in the capture of Suzan, the director. She is a mother of two young children and is detained up to now. Police are also after her husband, Phil Wilmot.

Phil, "Hundreds are being arrested throughout the country. Now is the time to resist dictatorship, but we need support to defend ourselves from torture and harassment, as well as support to take nonviolent action against opponents of humanity."

This crowdfunding effort is meant to not only secure the release of Suzan, Otim and three other Lira-based political prisoners arrested alongside them but also to sustain and build pressure on the regime by supporting our allies that are currently facing this brutal crack down.

In the past, Solidarity Uganda have suffered staff detainments and launched crowdfunding initiatives to support the detained, their families, and the nonviolent resistance to dictatorial rule in Uganda.

When our struggle against oppression benefits economically from the state's repression, police are quick to dismiss Activists from detainment, many of whom are often tortured or starved. Conditions in police cells are deplorable, with dozens of suspects being held in a room of about 8 square meters.

We ask all of you to demonstrate your solidarity with a donation, however big or small, to help force the release of all political prisoners and sustain the presure for justice and social change in Uganda.