Kampala, Uganda – A prominent lawyer representing treason suspects in Uganda has been arrested and charged under the same draconian laws he was fighting, sources confirm. The detention of Erias Lukwago, a veteran human rights barrister, marks a brazen escalation in President Yoweri Museveni’s crackdown on dissent. Lukwago was taken from his office on Wednesday by plainclothes officers and charged with “misprision of treason” for failing to disclose information about his clients. The charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
Documents obtained by this reporter reveal that the charges stem from Lukwago’s representation of opposition figures accused of plotting against the government. The prosecution alleges he knew of a conspiracy but did not report it. Legal experts say the charge is a transparent attempt to silence the defence. “This is a direct assault on the rule of law,” said a source close to the case. “If lawyers cannot represent clients without fear of prosecution, then the entire justice system collapses.”
Lukwago’s arrest follows a pattern of intimidation. In recent months, at least six lawyers have been detained or had their licences suspended. The Ugandan Law Society has condemned the move, calling it a “dark day for the profession”. But the government shows no sign of backing down. State prosecutors have refused bail, arguing Lukwago is a flight risk. He remains in custody at Luzira Prison.
The British government has a moral and legal duty to intervene. Under the Commonwealth Charter, member states commit to upholding the independence of the judiciary and legal profession. Uganda is a signatory, yet its actions violate these principles. The UK, as a leading Commonwealth member, must use its diplomatic leverage to demand Lukwago’s release and the dropping of all charges. Failure to act would signal complicity in the erosion of legal norms across Africa.
Treason laws across the Commonwealth are increasingly weaponised against political opponents. In Uganda, the offence carries a potential death sentence, though executions have not been carried out in years. But the threat alone is enough to chill activism. Museveni, in power since 1986, has shown no tolerance for challenges to his authority. The arrest of Lukwago is a clear message: no one is safe, not even those sworn to uphold the law.
The international community must not look away. The UK’s Foreign Office has issued a tepid statement calling for “due process” but has not condemned the arrest outright. That must change. London should invoke the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, which has the power to suspend members for serious breaches of Commonwealth values. Talk of a “values-based foreign policy” is hollow if it does not extend to such blatant attacks on legal independence.
Lukwago’s case will be heard on Monday. Pressure must mount before then. If the UK fails to act, it will embolden every authoritarian regime in the Commonwealth to purge its legal opposition. The choice is clear: stand with the rule of law, or watch it crumble.
