Eron Kiiza, a human rights advocate, has been granted bail, three months after he was convicted by the General Court Martial for contempt of court. Kiiza is appealing the ruling.
High court judge Michael Elubu told Kiiza to deposit Shs 20 million as a bond. His three sureties were given a noncash bond of Shs 50 million each.
Kiiza’s release led to jubilation in court as his friends and civil society actors rapt in joy.
Under his bail terms, Kiiza must report to the Registrar of the High Court on the first Monday of each month and has to surrender his passport to court.
Kiiza was arrested at the army court where he was defending opposition politicians Dr. Kizza Besigye and Haji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya. He was sentenced to nine months for contempt of court, a decision that was widely criticised.
His team ran to the High Court seeking to quash his conviction, their case made stronger by the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court, which ruled that military courts did not have jurisdiction to try civilians.
