Kampala, July 3^rd, 2018; High court in Uganda has set September 24^th 2018 as hearing date for a petition challenging a directive issued by the telecom regulator, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) requiring all Ugandans offering online data communications services including online publishers and news platforms to register and obtain authorization certificate from UCC.

In a Notice of Motion signed by the registrar of the civil division at the High Court of Uganda, the case number 138 will be heard at 9 o’clock East African time by justice…

On 8^th June 2018 Unwanted Witness petitioned the high court seeking among others, for court to nullify an online registration directive by UCC because it threatens and infringes on online freedom of anonymous expression and other freedoms guaranteed by Articles 27 and 29 of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.

On 6^th March 2018, UCC issued a directive to all Online publishers to pay $20 as registration fees and be issued with an operating certificate and later ordered all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to immediately suspend the provision of carriage to non compliant online/Electronic news providers.

Online publishers include Chimp reports, Nile Post, Grapevine, The Investigator among others, as well as individual anonymous bloggers.