Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether HM Ambassador in Kampala has (a) visited Robert Kyagulanyi and his family and (b) made representations regarding his house detention directly to the Government of Uganda.

I [Minister Duddridge] welcome the High Court of Uganda's decision of 25 January that the detention of Robert Kyagulanyi was unconstitutional and unlawful and their order for security personnel to vacate his premises. This is a positive step towards removing the restrictions on political freedoms of Kyagulanyi. When Kyagulanyi was under de facto house arrest, external visitors were not permitted to visit him or his family. However, I [Minister Duddridge] tweeted on 19 January about this unacceptable treatment and our High Commissioner in Kampala pressed the Ugandan authorities to end these unacceptable restrictions on Robert Kyagulanyi's liberty. The High Commissioner continues to meet political actors from all parties and has offered a meeting to Robert Kyagulanyi at the earliest opportunity.