Freedom Hive Uganda Campaign to Return Counsel Eron Kiiza’s Passport

By Freedom Hive Uganda | June 2025

On 4 April 2025, the Criminal Division of the High Court in Kampala granted bail to human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza, following his controversial conviction by a General Court Martial an act widely condemned as unconstitutional. As part of his bail conditions, he was required to surrender his passport, impeding his ability to seek urgent medical treatment abroad .

Despite repeated written appeals to the court registrar on the grounds of pressing health, rest, and medical needs Counsel Kiiza did not receive his travel documents, delayed for nearly two months, prompting allegations that the hold-up was politically motivated .

On June 14, Freedom Hive Uganda launched a dedicated campaign to reclaim his passport, anchored on two key pillars, awareness and advocacy

Publicizing Kiiza’s plight across media and social platforms, Freedom Hive brought national attention to the injustice and health risks he faced.

We urged the public, particularly lawyers, advocates, and civil society, to demand procedural fairness and timely justice. Counsel Kiiza even signaled readiness to lead a peaceful march of up to 100 citizens to reinforce the urgency .

Fruits of the Campaign

The Daily Monitor and other outlets began highlighting the issue, including Kiiza’s clear explanation that the delay was threatening his health .

The court publicly advised Kiiza to liaise with the deputy registrar, a result of our sustained push and finally after a formal application in high court, Eron’s passport has been finally returned today, thanks to the great fight by Freedom Hive Uganda.

The campaign reinforced the importance of procedural fairness in judicial systems especially for political and human rights defenders. By mobilizing public solidarity, Freedom Hive Uganda underpinned civic demand for transparent justice. This campaign sets a model for future interventions when bail conditions intended to regulate but not punish are abused to delay legitimate recovery of rights.

Freedom Hive Uganda remains unwavering in its commitment to defend the rights of human rights defenders and legal practitioners in Uganda. Our work on Counsel Eron Kiiza’s case highlights how timely, targeted advocacy can break bureaucratic inertia and safeguard the basic rights enshrined in our constitution