Kampala, 20th/November/2013; The Unwanted Witness – Uganda (UW-U) has written to the Uganda Government through the ministry of Foreign Affairs soliciting support for a resolution on surveillance and human rights called “the right to privacy in the digital age,” introduced by the Brazilian and German delegations at the United Nations.
UW-U a campaign based organization that advocates for digital rights and internet freedoms and promotes the use of modern tools to amplify voices and change people’s lives in Uganda has joined other international groups including Privacy International that urge the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a new resolution against indiscriminate mass surveillance.
The draft resolution, titled “The right to privacy in the digital age” was introduced by Germany and Brazil in November in the wake of the NSA mass surveillance revelations. It calls upon states to respect and protect the right to privacy, including in the context of digital communication and to take measures to put an end to violations of those rights.
This is a critical moment for the protection of privacy around the world, said the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy International, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Access in a letter sent to all members of the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
“Indiscriminate mass surveillance, which tramples individuals’ right to privacy and undermines the social contract we all have with the State, must come to end immediately,” they wrote, adding that if the resolution is adopted this would be the first major statement by the UN on privacy in 25 years.
UW believes that Uganda should take a leading role to support the Resolution as it has been doing during its tenure as member of the UN Human Rights Council.
UW shall engage in dialogue meetings with the government of Uganda to appreciate the importance of this resolution and undertake measures to enact a national law to safe guard privacy
To view this letter:
https://www.unwantedwitness.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/uw.pdf
For More Information Contact;
THE Unwantedwitness–Uganda
Plot 41 Gadaffi Road, Makerere- Kampala P.O.BOX. 71314 Clock Tower Kampala. Tel: 256 414 697 635 / +256 752 807 429E-mail: info@unwantedwitness.or.ug / Website:www.unwantedwitness.or.ug; Skype: unwantedwitness;Twitter: @unwantedwitness; Face book: unwanted witness Uganda