Robert Yiga Kiwana

Established in 2008 as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Uganda Public Rescue Foundation (UPRF) offers criminal legal aid to the indigent. The organization’s mission is improving access to justice for the poor charged with criminal offences in fulfillment of constitutional requirements. Our overall goal is to improve mechanisms for effective criminal defense services in Uganda and the purpose is to offer professional and standardized criminal defense services to the disadvantaged, charged with offences that carry a sentence of 4 years imprisonment or more or where there is a serious human rights issue, particularly in the higher courts and the Chief Magistrate’s courts. Un-conditional access to justice, cost effectiveness, completeness, quality and constitutionality, are key values that guide our work.

The organizations’ scope of work covers free litigation, legal advice, prison visits, human rights sensitization, counseling, behavior change communication, research, advocacy/lobbying and mediation for the poor charged with criminal offences with a focus on poor people charged with capital or serious offences: murder, kidnapping, rape and defilement.