Human Rights Defenders Fight New Uganda Social Media Law

An online media company and 12 other activists have filed a legal challenge against a new Ugandan law, which punishes anybody who shares unsolicited or misleading information on social media with a hefty fine, jail time and barring from public office. <br />President Yoweri Museveni signed into law the Computer Misuse Amendment Act last week, but the head of Alternative DigiTalk says the law is illegal, unconstitutional and violates fundamental human rights. <br />Rights group Amnesty International has said the law is designed to deliberately target critics of the government and will be used to silence dissent and prevent people from speaking out. <br />The supporters of the new law however say it will help to stop online abuse and protect the right to privacy.