Standard Group rallies media against Joy Doreen Biira arrest

The Standard Group has called on the Ugandan government to drop charges raised against KTN journalist Joy Doreen Biira. Describing the charges as fake, Standard Group Chief Executive Officer Sam Shollei called on all journalists in the country to collect signatures in solidarity and lodge a petition with the Ugandan government to have the charges withdrawn and the case terminated.

Ms Biira is facing charges of abetting terrorism following her updates on social media on the mass killings in Kasese, Uganda. Following the posts, Biira was arrested and had to spend her Sunday night in custody. She had been in the country to attend her traditional wedding ceremony. Mr Shollei criticised the treatment accorded to Biira by the Ugandan government.

He was speaking yesterday during Multi-Choice award ceremony for this year’s CNN Journalist of the Year winners.

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KTN’s Aisha Mwilu and Rashid Idi were the overall CNN award winners. Standard business reporter Dominic Omondi, Commonwealth Writer Isaac Otidi and Cheboite Kigen of Nation Media Group were finalists. Yesterday’s award ceremony was attended by Standard Group Editorial Director Joseph Odindo and MultiChoice East Africa Regional Director Stephen Isaboke.

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