High Court Orders Release of Eron Kiiza’s Passport in Contempt Case

The High Court in Kampala has ordered the immediate release of human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza’s passport, which had been retained as a bail condition following his prosecution for contempt of court by the General Court Martial.

The ruling, delivered by Justice David Matovu, found no legal basis for the continued retention of the passport and directed that it be returned without further delay.

Kiiza had petitioned the Court arguing that the seizure of his passport violated his constitutional right to freedom of movement and had caused significant professional and personal harm.

The document had been held since January 2025, when he was arraigned before a military tribunal over remarks deemed contemptuous by authorities.

The court’s decision follows weeks of growing scrutiny over the prosecution of civilians in military courts particularly in cases involving political activists and human rights defenders.

In written submissions filed on June 19, 2025, Kiiza’s lawyers argued that the passport’s continued seizure served no legal or judicial function.

They described it as punitive and unnecessary, noting that Kiiza had fully complied with all bail terms since his release in April.

“The continued withholding of Mr. Kiiza’s passport is punitive, not precautionary,” the lawyers stated, calling it a “de facto travel ban” that violates both the 1995 Constitution of Uganda and international human rights law, including Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Kiiza, who is appealing a conviction by the General Court Martial, was detained for 86 days earlier this year.

His legal team maintains that the trial was unlawful, citing a January 2025 Supreme Court ruling that military tribunals have no jurisdiction over civilians. The ruling effectively voided his conviction.