Standard Group: Withdraw charges and terminate case against Joy Doreen Biira

Joy Doreen Biira was arrested from her home district of Kasese in western Uganda. (Photo: Courtesy)

Nairobi: The Standard Group has called on the Ugandan Government to withdraw charges against KTN news anchor and reporter Joy Doreen Biira who had been held at Kasese police station, western Uganda.

Joy’s employer also wants the case against her terminated. She has been charged with abetting terrorism following her posts on social media that were prompted by the mass killings in Kasese, Sunday.

“The charges arose from the professional activities of Ms Biira at the weekend when unrest broke out in her hometown of Kasese, western Uganda. Joy had been on a private visit to the region when the conflict erupted and, as any good journalist would, she went on social media and gave detailed updates of the chaos as it unfolded,” said Standard Group Editorial Director Joe Odindo.

Odindo said that Joy was arrested for carrying out professional journalistic work whose only objective was to give important information to the public.

“We are calling upon the authorities in Uganda to withdraw the charges and terminate the case.”

“In the meantime, the Standard media Group wishes to assure Joy’s family and friends that we are doing everything possible to uphold her professional and individual rights,” said Odindo in a statement.