"Irish court allows Facebook to keep TVO identity secret"

The High Court in Ireland has accepted global social media giant Facebook’s plea to conceal self-styled social media activist, Tom Voltaire Okwalinga (TVO)’s identity. Court argues that revealing TVO’s identity to one of Uganda’s senior lawyers, Mr Fred Muwema would put his life in danger and expose him to harassment from the government.

he decision contained in a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday is the result of a protracted legal battle between Mr Muwema and Facebook. The outspoken lawyer sued the social media powerhouse following TVO’s controversial claims that he had pocketed Shs900 million delivered by former information and national guidance minister Jim Muhwezi to stage manage a break in at his chambers in Kololo so the state could tamper with critical evidence of his client and former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi. The evidence was to be used in a case filed by Mr Mbabazi contesting President Museveni’s February 2016 election.

In the decision, Mr Justice Binchy holds, “It is somewhat difficult for the court to make an assessment as to the extent of the danger that would be posed to TVO if his identity is revealed. It is fair to say however that there is consistency in the reports of Freedom House and US Department of State Human Rights Report on Uganda as well as Amnesty International all of which express concern about the freedom of expression and assembly.” Seeking to balance the need to hand over TVO to Mr Muwema “so he can protect his good name” by way of a defamation suit, the court took to protecting the safety of TVO given the history of Uganda’s human rights transgressions.