Lawyer Eron Kiiza, one of the numerous lawyers who are defending Dr. Kiiza Besigye, came into the limelight as a result of his poetic and boisterous deliberations that were more of political activism than defending his clients, Dr. Kiiza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutaale.
While appearing before the General Court Martial (GCM), lawyer Eron often raised his voice and was more of a political activist, something which didn’t go well with the GCM chairman and the prosecutors. As is well known, courts are places of order and civility, where individuals are expected to conduct themselves with respect and professionalism.
His continuous provoking statements, disrespect of prosecutors, and lack of cooperation led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing to nine months for contempt of court on January 7, 2025.
Eron, unlike his fellow lawyers, repeatedly crossed the line of professional conduct, putting himself at risk of being charged with contempt of court—a serious offense that leaves one completely at the mercy of the judge once accused.
Contempt of court is a legal violation committed by an individual who disobeys a judge or otherwise disrupts the legal process in the courtroom.
Before the general court martial, one of the prosecutors accused Eron of appearing before different media houses disrespecting the ongoing court martial proceedings and GCM.
“Matters before court are not supposed to be discussed before the social media domain, and several times he has referred to this court as a pool of criminals,” the court martial prosecutor stated before the court martial chairman.
According to Byamugisha Ambrose, a practicing lawyer with over 15 years in the field, he noted that contempt of court is a serious crime; however, it has been taken lightly due to the judges lenience over time.
“In the case of Betty Kizito vs. Dickson Nsubuga & 6 others (Civil Application Nos. 25 & 26 of 2021 arising from Civil Appeal No. 8 of 2018), the Supreme Court clarified the nature of contempt proceedings, highlighting the distinction between criminal contempt and civil contempt. Contempt of court refers to any action that disrupts the administration of justice or improperly influences a court case. This can include disobeying a court order, taking photos or shouting in court, refusing to answer the court’s questions, or publicly commenting on an ongoing case,” explained Byamugisha.
It’s high time lawyers always endeavored to resist the urge to take things personally, which caused Eron to spend nine months in Kitalya government prison after he totally failed to serve as an advocate for his clients, focusing on defending his political interests using the legal frameworks.
Also, his arrest was as a result of the judiciary sending a warning against actions that disrupt legal proceedings undermining the rule of law in Uganda.
