Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed laws making some online behavior illegal, despite worries that the bill would be applied to stifle valid criticism.
A legislator from the ruling party introduced the “Computer Misuse Amendment Act” which was passed by the parliament the previous month even when it was criticized by activists and opposition parties.
The legislator, while introducing the bill, explained the importance and highlighted that the bill will punish those who hurt others through computers. Talking about the bill, he said, “Enjoyment of the right to privacy is being affected by the abuse of online and social media platforms through the sharing of unsolicited, false, malicious, hateful and unwarranted information.”
Features of the Law
The new legislation tightens up a contentious 2011 law that addressed cyber abuse. The bill was approved by Museveni on Thursday, a presidential spokeswoman said. The law forbids exchanging information that encourages hate speech, has malicious content and is unwarranted. Such messages are also banned that could “ridicule, degrade or demean another person.”
According to Allan Bariyo, a cyber-law specialist based in Kampala, the law “poses a huge danger to the right to access information electronically and to the freedom of speech and expression over computer networks.”
The law includes a 10 years jail term for violators in some instances. These violations include the sharing or intercepting of information without authorization, as well as the sending of information about a person without their consent.
In a nation where many of Museveni’s opponents frequently voice their concerns on Twitter and other social media platforms because they have been unable to organize physical rallies for years, opponents of the bill claim it would suppress freedom of expression.
