NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 26 – Amnesty International has condemned the detention and deportation of Kenyan human rights lawyer Martha Karua by Ugandan authorities, describing the incident as “unlawful and outrageous.”

Karua, who is part of the legal team representing detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, was reportedly arrested on June 22 at Entebbe International Airport before being held incommunicado and later deported back to Kenya.

In a statement, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah said the actions by Ugandan authorities violated regional legal protections and undermined judicial transparency.

“Martha Karua’s detention and subsequent deportation are unlawful and outrageous,” Chagutah said.

The rights organisation said Karua had travelled to Uganda to observe court proceedings involving prominent Ugandan lawyer Erias Lukwago, who is representing Besigye in an ongoing treason trial.

According to Amnesty International, Karua was not informed of the reasons for her arrest and had her mobile phones confiscated during the detention.

The organisation further argued that the incident reflected a broader pattern of intimidation targeting lawyers associated with Besigye’s defence team.

“This arrest points to a continuation of a long and disturbing pattern of arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment of Kizza Besigye’s legal team,” Chagutah added.

Amnesty International also renewed calls for the immediate release of both Besigye and Lukwago.

Lukwago was reportedly arrested, detained and allegedly tortured on June 15 before later being charged with treason-related offences.

Besigye, a longtime opposition politician and critic of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has remained in detention for more than 500 days after allegedly being abducted in Kenya in November 2024 and later appearing before a military court in Kampala.

The rights group also referenced the January 2025 arrest of lawyer Eron Kiiza, who was assaulted and detained inside court premises before being convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

Amnesty International says the repeated targeting of opposition lawyers raises growing concerns over fair trial rights, judicial independence and human rights protections in Uganda.