KAMPALA, Uganda The Criminal Division of the High Court has set a hearing date of June 25, 2025, for Besigye’s lawyer, Eron Kiiza, whose passport has been in court custody since April 4, 2025.

Eron Kiiza has petitioned the High Court to release his passport, which was deposited as part of his bail conditions after nearly three months in detention.

Kiiza had gone to represent Hajji Obeid Lutale and Dr Kizza Besigye (opposition leader), who are in prison at the time, on charges of unlawfully possessing military weapons.

 On January 7, 2025, Kiiza was arrested by military personnel at the General Court Martial and held for 86 days before being released from Kitalya prison. On April 5, 2025, he turned over his passport to court officials.

According to the Registrar of the High Court Criminal Division, “Take notice that this Honourable Court shall be moved on the 25th of June, 2025, at 9:00 o’clock in the foreafternoon thereafter.”

The registrar added that the applicant is a Ugandan human rights lawyer who was tortured and illegally detained by a military tribunal at Makindye on the 7th of January, 2025.

The registrar added, “The applicant received personal liberty (bail) on April 4, 2025, when His Lordship, Mr Justice Micheal Elubu, granted him bail on a cash bond of Shs. 20,000,000, and each surety was bonded in the amount of Shs. 50,000,000, not cash. The applicant was also ordered to deposit his passport with the court, with the understanding that if he needs it to travel, an application to that effect will be made before this court.”

In addition to the terms of his bail on April 4, 2025, Kiiza’s pursuit of his passport is a matter of his fundamental freedom, human dignity, right to health and freedom of movement.

 According to Kiiza, he made two written requests on April 24 and May 7 to have the passport returned so that he could go to Costa Rica in early July for professional recovery, medical treatment, and rest.