The World Liberty Congress (WLC) has demanded answers from Ugandan authorities over the reported detention of human rights defender Aloikin Praise Opoloje after remarks she allegedly made concerning General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni.
In a statement dated September 26, the organisation said it was alarmed by reports that Opoloje, a member of the WLC and a human rights activist, had been taken into custody by military intelligence after voluntarily reporting to Namungoona Police Station.
According to the organisation, Opoloje had gone to the police station after being called in for what she understood to be a routine matter.
The WLC said Ugandan civil society activists subsequently reported that she was told military intelligence wanted to question her over alleged remarks about Kainerugaba, who serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces.
The organisation said the reports further indicated that Opoloje was to be taken away to be “disciplined”.
However, the WLC stressed that the reports had not been independently confirmed and called for immediate clarification from the Ugandan authorities on what happened to the activist and where she was being held.
Kainerugaba, the son of President Museveni, was appointed Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Force in March 2024.
The reported detention has raised concerns from the WLC over the treatment of human rights defenders and the circumstances surrounding Opoloje’s reported removal from police custody.
The organisation described Opoloje as an advocate for civil liberties, accountability, anti-corruption and social justice.
It said she received the European Union Human Rights Defenders Award in 2025 in recognition of her peaceful work on human rights and social justice.
The WLC also said Opoloje had previously faced arrest and imprisonment over her activism.
The organisation urged Ugandan authorities to immediately disclose her whereabouts, ensure her safety and grant her access to a lawyer and members of her family.
It further called for her release unless she is promptly brought before a civilian court and presented with a lawful and substantiated charge.
“No human rights defender should be disappeared, intimidated, or placed outside the protection of the law for speaking out,” the WLC said.
“Aloikin must be returned safely,” the organisation added.
The circumstances surrounding Opoloje’s reported detention, including the precise remarks attributed to her and whether any formal charge has been filed against her, remained unclear at the time of the WLC’s statement.
The WLC’s demand therefore centres on obtaining an official account of Opoloje’s whereabouts, the legal basis for any detention and whether Ugandan authorities intend to bring her before a court.