PEN Berlin Calls for Immediate Release of Lawyer Eron Kiiza

The General Court Martial on Tuesday sentenced Mr Kiiza, one of the lawyers representing Dr Kizza Besigye, to nine months in prison after finding him guilty of contempt of court.

The global writers' organisation, PEN Berlin, has called for the immediate release of renowned lawyer Eron Kiiza, who was sentenced to prison on Tuesday by the military court.

The General Court Martial sentenced Mr Kiiza, one of the lawyers representing Dr Kizza Besigye, to nine months in prison after finding him guilty of contempt of court.

In a statement, PEN Berlin condemned the circumstances surrounding Kiiza's arrest and sentencing.

Joachim Helfer, a board member of PEN Berlin, described Kiiza's detention as unjust, arguing that his arrest and imprisonment are attempts to suppress freedom of expression and undermine judicial independence.

“Our colleague Eron Kiiza, like many of our writers, has a day job as a lawyer. Standing up for people and their rights in a literary or legal way is closely related,| Helfer said.

"A corrupt regime like Uganda’s will try to suppress freedom of expression as well as an independent judiciary. The two go hand in hand and will ultimately prevail everywhere, including in Uganda.

"PEN Berlin calls for the immediate release of Eron Kiiza. We stand by our word," the organization stated.

On Tuesday, Brigadier-General Freeman Mugabe, chairman of the army court, said Mr Kiiza had been previously warned about "professional misconduct" but failed to take those warnings seriously.

"Today (Tuesday), when the accused entered this court, he immediately confronted the court orderly who was guiding him where to sit but instead started assaulting the court orderly and banging the angle bars of the entrance," Gen Mugabe said.

"The chairman of the court warned him of the misconduct, but he did not take heed and instead worsened the situation by making more noise, being cheered by the audience."

The military court emphasised that respecting the Judiciary is not only a moral or ethical obligation but also fundamentally essential to the foundation of constitutional democracy.

“Courts are mandated to ensure that justice is delivered without fear or favour, maintaining public confidence in the rule of law. Any attempts to undermine their authority threaten the entire legal framework and destabilize societal order,” the court stated.

Mr Kiiza's detention has raised concerns among legal practitioners and opposition members.

On Tuesday, Robert Kyagulanyi, president of the National Unity Platform (NUP), described Mr Kiiza's sentencing as "deeply unfortunate," asserting that it was both illegal and unwarranted.

"His only crime was insisting on doing his duty as an advocate to represent his clients after the military blocked him. Eron has been vocal in and outside this illegal court, condemning its unconstitutional conduct," Mr Kyagulanyi said.

On Wednesday, Isaac Ssemakadde, president of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), also addressed Kiiza's situation.

“While we respect the autonomy of our members and do not typically provide running commentary on active cases, we acknowledge the significant public interest in this matter,” Ssemakadde said.