Detained city lawyer Male Mabirizi has requested from Uganda Prison Services that he be transported to Arusha, Tanzania, for a court appearance.
According to reports, Mabirizi is negotiating with the prison authorities to take him to the East African Court of Justice for the hearing of his case challenging the decision to shut down the internet and Facebook during Uganda’s 2021 general elections.
In February this year, the controversial lawyer was sentenced to 18 months in jail for contempt of court.
Mabirizi appealed against the sentence, but the court declined to release him. Justice Christopher Madrama ruled that Mabirizi did not make any appeal against his 18-month sentence but rather appealed against the Shs300 million fine.
However, the court issued an order stopping Mabirizi from paying Shs300 million for contempt of court.