Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda Law Society (ULS), in collaboration with the East African Law Society, has launched a legal challenge against what it describes as an unlawful and “dehumanising” deportation scheme involving individuals forcibly removed from the United States and transported to Uganda.
In a statement dated Thursday, April 2, 2026, signed by ULS Vice President Anthony Asiimwe, the organizations confirmed that a privately operated aircraft carrying approximately a dozen deportees had arrived earlier at Entebbe International Airport. The lawyers allege that the individuals were transferred under opaque circumstances that bypassed established legal and institutional frameworks.
According to the statement, Ugandan authorities—including the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, Parliament, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—were not formally engaged or consulted prior to the operation. The absence of publicly available policies or legal instruments governing such transfers, the societies argue, raises serious constitutional and international law concerns.
“This process has reduced human beings into little more than chattel,” the statement read, describing the deportation as “undignified, harrowing, and dehumanising.”
The statement further alleged that unnamed private contractors on both sides of the Atlantic may be profiting from the arrangement, exploiting vulnerable individuals deemed “undesirable” and relocating them without due process or safeguards.
The ULS and its regional counterpart characterized the development as part of a broader pattern of what they call “transnational repression,” in which powerful states externalize migration and security policies onto less powerful nations.
The statement drew parallels between this incident and historical injustices, warning that such practices undermine global commitments to human dignity and equality.
The lawyers also criticized what they termed the “militarisation of society” in the United States, arguing that it has enabled certain governments in Africa to act with impunity.
“This is yet another act of effrontery that places the continent and its people at the bottom of a perceived racial hierarchy,” the statement read, linking the issue to wider instability and governance challenges across regions such as the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and Central Africa.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the organizations expressed optimism, pointing to civic engagement and resistance movements in both Uganda and the United States. They highlighted efforts by citizens, activists, and institutions who have protested, litigated, and organized in defense of democratic values and human rights.
As part of their response, the Uganda Law Society confirmed that it has filed applications before national and regional courts seeking urgent intervention. The legal action aims to halt any ongoing or future transfers under similar arrangements and to establish clear legal standards governing international deportation practices.
“We have approached the courts seeking bespoke reliefs designed to arrest this patent international illegality,” the statement read, urging judicial bodies to act with urgency. The society also called on the media and the public to maintain attention on the issue and foster broader debate.
The organizations emphasized that their concerns extend beyond the immediate incident, framing it as symptomatic of a larger authoritarian trend. They called on Ugandans and the wider African public to actively engage in challenging what they described as collusion between foreign and domestic actors in undermining sovereignty and human rights.
Over the coming weeks, the Uganda Law Society says it will continue to provide updates on legal proceedings and advocacy efforts. The group reiterated its mandate to defend the rule of law and protect the rights of all individuals within Uganda’s jurisdiction, including those forcibly transferred under controversial circumstances.
“This is not just about one deportation. It is about confronting a system that permits such actions to occur in the first place,” the statement read.
