Jailed lawyer and human rights defender Hassan Male Mabirizi has dragged the Chief Justice (CJ) Dr. Flavian Zeija and senior state attorney Richard Birivumbuka to the High Court Criminal Division, challenging what he calls the violation of his fundamental human rights by the actions of those high-profile judicial officers.
In the petition that was recently filed through his legal team, Mabirizi who is fighting to walk out from the Luzira prison where he was remanded back to freedom, following the charges of hate speech and malicious information against the CJ Zeija and others under the Computer Mis Use Act, jointly sued other senior public officials including justice Musa Ssekaana (Court of Appeal judge), Joan Keko (State Attorney), Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Attorney General (AG).
Through his petition which is premised under several provisions of the Human Rights Enforcement Act 2019, Prohibition – Prevention of Torture and the Constitution, Mabirizi contests the Computer Mis Use Act charges against him whose provisions claims are under challenge in the constitutional court of Uganda, which makes it illegal.
From his 21 grounded filed petition, the controversial Kampala city lawyer argues that his slapped charges alleged to have been based on speeches against discharge of judicial authority by the senior judicial officers; justice Zeija and Ssekaana, which defeats principles of natural justice and law.
He also alleges that the manhandling and lifting by his trousers during his arrest as he was forced to cross a public road-Mulago – Bwaise Road, was degrading and humiliating of a person of his caliber.
Mabirizi further challenges the reading of charges to him before determination of the recusal application raised by himself against the presiding Buganda Road Court Magistrate Rita Neumbe Kidasa, her Buganda Road Court jurisdiction to continue handling the case against him, citing legal defects, among other issues.
He alleges that 1st-4th respondents; justices Zeija, Ssekaana, state attorneys Birivumbuka and Keko initiated, perpetuated and participated in the human rights violations against himself in the manner pleaded in his filed application, hence seeking Court declarations.
The applicant insists that he has suffered trauma, anguish, his rights derogated and violated to which is entitled to general, aggravated and exemplary damages.
Owing to the above, the applicant now wants Court to issue several declarations that the said actions, decisions, directives and omissions were in violation of his inherent human rights and freedom to the; equality before the law and equal protection of the law, right to liberty, freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, right to fair hearing, freedom from speech, civic rights, freedom from political persecution, right to fairness in administrative decisions since they are not allowed by the Constitution and not demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.
He also wants to be acquitted by the High Court of the charges in Buganda Road Court- criminal No.56 of 2026 in the interest of protecting and respecting fundamental human rights.
File for his lodged petition is yet to be allocated to the presiding judge for further hearing.
Should be noted that Mabirizi was arrested on 2nd February and detained at the Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) before he was charged and arraigned before the Buganda Road Court magistrate Rita Kidasa on counts of hate speech and malicious information against justices; Zeija and Ssekaana, which he denied.
Mabirizi According to the charge sheet, accused of referring to the justices Zeija and Ssekaana as conmen who allegedly bribed their way into the judiciary.
Prosecution represented by Birivumbuka and Keko alleges that during January 2026, at various locations including Kampala and Wakiso district or thereabout, Mabirizi used a computer via the Tik Tok account@ Mabirizi to send, share or transmit information describing justice Zeija as a conman, fraudster and corrupt individual who allegedly sold property to pay a bribe for his appointment. Prosecution argues that the statements are false and were intended to degrade the reputation of the judicial officers.
His legal team includes among others, the Uganda Law Society vice president Anthony Asiimwe, and Yasin Ssentumbwe.
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