Human Rights Lawyers Sue Kenya and Uganda at EACJ Over Dr. Besigye’s Forced Rendition

Kampala: Prominent human rights lawyers have filed a petition against the governments of Kenya and Uganda at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), seeking intervention in the case of Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and his associate Hajj Obeid Lutale.

The duo was allegedly abducted in Kenya on November 16, 2024, by Ugandan military personnel, reportedly with the complicity of Kenyan authorities, and forcibly returned to Uganda.

Represented by lawyers Andrew Karamagi, Godwin Toko, and Anthony Odur, the petitioners argue that the abduction and subsequent trial of Dr. Besigye and Lutale in a Ugandan military court violate international law, regional treaties, and fundamental human rights principles.

The petition condemns the trial of civilians in military tribunals and accuses the Kenyan government of failing to uphold its constitutional obligation to protect individuals within its borders. It further highlights that the extraterritorial abduction undermines democracy and the rule of law—key principles enshrined in Article 6(d) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (EAC).

Dr. Besigye and Hajj Lutale were reportedly detained incommunicado upon their forced return to Uganda after traveling to Kenya to attend a book launch hosted by renowned Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua.