The journalists’ body has also questioned the continued detention of Astezas, arguing that it contravenes the constitutional requirement governing the period within, which an arrested person must be brought before court. In a protest note shared on the UJA platform, the association cited Article 23(4)(b) of the 1995 Constitution, which provides for the 48-hour limit.

Kirunda added that while in police detention, Twinamatsiko was allegedly subjected to acts of torture in form of harsh beating, knocking against the wall, neck strangulation, nose squeezing, stomach punching, head hitting by some police constables lasting for about 30 minutes, hence leaving him in serious pain with sustained bodily injuries on one of his eyes.