Kenyan Senior Counsel Martha Karua, a former justice minister of Kenya, has sued the government of Uganda over her deportation and the decision to declare her persona non grata. She is suing the Attorney General jointly with the Uganda Law Society, challenging the decision of the principal immigration officer at Entebbe International Airport to deny …
Uganda’s Directorate of Public Prosecutions is seeking criminal contempt charges against Eron Kiiza, a lawyer on the defence team for opposition figure Kizza Besigye and co-accused Obeid Lutale, over posts he made on social media, the Daily Monitor reported on August 6, 2026. The State is asking the court to find Kiiza guilty of criminal …
During proceedings against opposition figure Kizza Besigye, attorney Erias Lukwago was arrested, while Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua, who was leading Besigye’s defense team, had previously been prevented from entering Uganda. The developments occurred as Besigye collapsed in court after months in detention and his lawyers raised concerns about his health and access to adequate treatment. …
The IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers reported on July 10 on the continued detention of Erias Lukwago, a prominent lawyer, human rights defender, and opposition figure arrested on June 15 by armed security operatives while acting as legal counsel for opposition leader Kizza Besigye. Lukwago was charged with “misprision of treason,” an offense …
The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) has condemned the detention of Ugandan lawyer Erias Lukwago by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) on June 15, 2026. Lukwago is a lead defence counsel in the ongoing treason trial of Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale before Uganda’s High Court. The CLA also raised alarm that his …
A prominent Ugandan lawyer, Erias Lukwago, was charged on June 17, 2026 with “misprision of treason”—failing to report treason to authorities—days after security forces arrested him. Lukwago, a senior opposition figure and former mayor of Kampala, denied the charge in court and was remanded in custody. He represents detained opposition leader Kizza Besigye in a …
Human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and continued detention of Sarah Bireete, a prominent Ugandan human rights defender, calling it unconstitutional and emblematic of a broader crackdown on civic space ahead of Uganda’s January 15, 2026 general elections. The Uganda Women’s Movement (UWM) warned that her detention reflects a pattern of arbitrary arrests targeting …
Rachel Ellett, Pathways to Judicial Power in Transitional States: Perspectives from African Courts (1st ed.). London: Routledge, 2013. Summary: This book examines the complex relationship that exists between the construction of judicial power, and the institutional characteristics of the courts and their regime setting. It examines the intriguing connection between the construction of judicial power …