Uganda : Stop judicial harassment against human rights defender Ssuuna James

UGA 003 / 0525 / OBS 026
Judicial harassment /
Online harassment /Ill-treatment /
Obstacles to freedom of assembly
Uganda
16 May 2025

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Uganda.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed about the ongoing judicial harassment of Mr. Ssuuna James, a cyberactivist and human rights defender, founder and Executive Director of Freedom Hive Uganda, an organisation committed to social justice, gender equality, and rights of marginalized groups in Uganda.

On 19 May 2025, Ssuuna James is expected to appear before the Chief Magistrates’ Court of Kampala for the next hearing in his trial for “common nuisance” (Section 148 (1) cap 128 of the Penal code) charges. If convicted, Mr. Ssuuna could face up to two years in prison.

The charge against Mr. Ssuuna stems from his participation to a peaceful protest against the government’s delay in implementing the Supreme Court ruling ordering the transfer of civilian cases from military to civilian courts, which took place on 10 February 2025 at Constitutional Square in Kampala. During this protest, more than five uniformed and plain-clothed police officers violently dragged Mr. Ssuuna to the ground, forcefully lifted him and arrested him. These acts of ill-treatment resulted in physical injuries, including serious harm to his genital area, with lasting effects to this day. Following his arrest, Mr. Ssuuna was arbitrarily detained for two nights at the Central Police Station in Kampala, beyond the 48-hour limit set by Article 23(4)(b) of the Constitution.

On 12 February 2025, he was charged with “common nuisance” before Grade 1 Magistrate Alex Niyonzima and remanded to Luzira Prison. On the same day, his bail application was denied, but he was released on bail the following day.

Subsequently, Mr. Ssuuna appeared multiple times before the same magistrate on 4 March, 14 March and 15 April 2025 regarding the same charge. As the prosecution failed to present any witnesses, another hearing has been scheduled for 19 May 2025.

On 4 May 2025, Mr. Ssuuna received the following threat from an unidentified user in response to his post on the social media X about the arbitrary suspension of 17 Kyambogo University students : "You're always with those who seek to cause instability and chaos! We get you, you'll go learn Runyankole too". This warning refers to the abduction and acts of torture suffered by Eddie Ssebuufu, alias Eddie Mutwe, the civilian bodyguard of opposition leader Bobi Wine. A picture of this bodyguard, showing visible marks of torture, has been posted online with the caption “Learning Runyankore”.

The Observatory strongly condemns the acts of ill-treatment and online treats committed against Ssuuna James and calls on the Ugandan judicial authorities to carry out an immediate, independent, thorough, and impartial investigation in order to identify the perpetrators and instigators and hold those responsible accountable.

The Observatory urges the Ugandan judicial authorities to drop all charges against Mr. Ssuna, which appear to be aimed at intimidating and silencing him for his legitimate human rights work and calls on them to put an end to any act of judicial harassment against him, as well as against all human rights defenders in the country.

The Observatory calls on the Ugandan authorities to guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as enshrined in Article 29 of the Ugandan Constitution and in regional and international human rights treaties, and in particular in Articles 11 and 9 of the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights, as well as in Articles 21 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Uganda is a party.

Actions requested:

The Observatory urges the judicial authorities of Uganda to:

1. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Ssuuna James and all human rights defenders in Uganda ;
2. Drop all charges against Ssuuna James and put an end to all forms of judicial harassment against him and all human rights defenders in Uganda, and ensure that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities in all circumstances, without hindrance or fear of reprisal ;
3. Carry out an immediate, independent, thorough and impartial investigation into all acts of ill-treatment and online threats against Ssuuna James, in order to identify the perpetrators and instigators and hold those responsible accountable ;
4. Ensure strict respect for fundamental freedoms, and in particular guarantee in all circumstances respect of the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Constitution and international human rights treaties.

Addresses:

• Courts of Judicature, Email : info@judicature.go.ug, X : @JudiciaryUG

• Mr Kaguta Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, E-mail: museveni@starcom.co.ug / aak@statehouse.go.ug, X: @KagutaMuseveni

• Ms Robinah Nabbanja, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda, Email: ps@opm.go.ug, X: @RobinahNabbanja

• Mr Jeje Odongo Abubakher, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, X: @UgandaMFA

• Hon. Norbert Mao, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Uganda, Email: info@jlos.go.ug / info@justice.go.ug

• Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Attorney General of Uganda, Email: info@jlos.go.ug / info@justice.go.ug

• Ms. Jane Frances Abodo, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Uganda, Email: admin@dpp.go.ug

• Ms. Mariam Fauzat Wangadya, Chairperson, Uganda Human Rights Commission, Email: uhrc@uhrc.ug

• H.E. Mr. Marcel Robert Tibaleka, Permanent Mission of Uganda to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Email: chancery@ugandamission.ch

• H.E. Mirjam Blaak Sow, Embassy of Uganda to the EU in Brussels, Belgium. Email: ugembrus@brutele.be, info@ugandamission-benelux.org

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Uganda in your respective countries.

***

Geneva-Paris, 16 May 2025

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this programme is to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

• E-mail: alert@observatoryfordefenders.org

• Tel FIDH: + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18

• Tel OMCT: + 41 22 809 49 39