Uganda's Artists Still at Risk Despite Court Victories

Freemuse and Selam have submitted a joint report to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Uganda ahead of the country’s review in early 2027. The submission raises serious concerns about the state of artistic freedom but also recognises some important legal progress. Between 2023 and 2026, Uganda’s Constitutional Court struck down several repressive provisions. These included laws criminalising “offensive communication”, hate speech and the “misuse of social media”, as well as criminal defamation rules that had long been used against artists and government critics. These rulings are significant, but they do not tell the whole story. Arti…