ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa is deeply alarmed by the arrest and prosecution of Ugandan opposition leader and lawyer Erias Lukwago following his reported abduction by security operatives and subsequent public statements by Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The circumstances surrounding Lukwago’s detention, the apparent involvement of military personnel and the public threats and commentary made by a senior state official raise serious concerns about the rule of law and the protection of fundamental freedoms in Uganda. We call for Ugandan authorities to release Lukwago, and to fully respect his rights, including to legal representation.
According to reports, armed security personnel took Lukwago by force from his home on 15 June 2026. His family stated that military personnel reportedly entered his residence and took him to an undisclosed location without providing information on the basis for the arrest. Following his detention, General Kainerugaba published several social media posts appearing to acknowledge Lukwago’s capture, including photographs showing him in detention. In subsequent posts, the general threatened to inflict harm on Lukwago and suggested that he would remain imprisoned for an extended period.
On 18 June 2026, Lukwago was presented before a magistrate’s court in Kampala and charged with failing to report an alleged treason-related plot allegedly planned between 2021 and 2024. Prosecutors reportedly linked his case to that of opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, whom Lukwago has been representing as legal counsel. Dr. Kizza Besigye, a long-time government critic and four-time presidential candidate, was forcibly removed from Kenya and returned to Uganda in November 2024 under circumstances widely condemned by human rights organisations as an act of transnational repression. Since his transfer to Uganda, Besigye has faced a series of charges, including treason, while concerns have persisted regarding his prolonged detention, due process guarantees and the broader implications of his prosecution for political participation and democratic dissent. ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa has previously expressed concern that Besigye’s abduction and detention form part of a worrying regional trend in which governments increasingly target opposition figures, activists, and critics across borders in an effort to silence dissent and restrict civic space.
Appearing visibly weakened before the court, Lukwago questioned the basis of the charges, noting the contradiction of being charged in a case in which he had been acting as defence counsel. His lawyers have since sought bail on medical grounds.
ARTICLE 19 is particularly concerned by the apparent targeting of a lawyer for carrying out his professional duties and for representing a prominent opposition figure in politically sensitive proceedings. Lawyers play a vital role in ensuring access to justice, accountability, and the protection of human rights. Any attempt to intimidate, harass, or prosecute legal practitioners for their legitimate professional work undermines the administration of justice and weakens public confidence in the independence of legal institutions.
The arrest and prosecution of Lukwago cannot be viewed in isolation. They occur against a backdrop of increasing restrictions on civic space in Uganda, including harassment of opposition leaders, intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders, and growing efforts to suppress dissenting voices. The continued detention and prosecution of opposition figures, combined with public threats by senior state officials, contribute to a climate of fear that discourages political participation, public debate, and scrutiny of those in power.
ARTICLE 19 is further alarmed by the use of social media by senior public officials to publicly celebrate arrests, threaten detainees and comment on the anticipated outcome of ongoing legal proceedings. Such conduct undermines the presumption of innocence, erodes confidence in judicial independence and sends a chilling message to citizens seeking to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and political participation. It also raises broader concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and the abuse of state power.
The rights to freedom of expression, association, liberty and fair trial are guaranteed under the Constitution of Uganda and protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These rights are essential to democratic governance and are particularly important in contexts where citizens seek to challenge government actions, participate in public affairs, or advocate for political change.
ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa calls on the Ugandan authorities to ensure that Erias Lukwago’s rights are fully respected, including his right to due process, access to legal representation, medical care and protection from arbitrary detention and ill-treatment. We further call on the authorities to end the harassment and intimidation of lawyers, journalists, opposition leaders, and human rights defenders and to guarantee an enabling environment in which individuals can freely exercise their rights to expression, association, peaceful assembly, and political participation without fear of retaliation.