“Sometimes, you are moved by poignant yet courageous stories of people whose experiences are far removed from your own, yet which enrich your knowledge of the world we live in.” In an impressive personal story, Ugandan Susan Kigula recounts how she, at the time being in her mid-twenties and wrongfully convicted, freed herself from death row and saved hundreds of lives in her fight for justice by studying law in prison and changing Uganda’s justice system.
The lecture ends at 13:45. It is not possible to leave the room earlier.
Ugandan Susan Kigula (born 1977) was sentenced to death by hanging in 2002 on a highly improbable murder charge, for which she was defended by a completely unprepared pro bono lawyer. Several years later, while taking the exceptional opportunity to study law on death row in the women’s wing of Luzira Prison (Kampala), she sued the state of Uganda on behalf of all 418 prisoners sentenced to death. Supported by The Death Penalty Project, she demanded sweeping legislative reforms on the use of the death penalty. In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that all death penalty cases must be reviewed. Two years later, Susan returned to court and her sentence was reduced to 20 years. In 2016, Susan herself was released.
Today, Susan Kigula works as a Human Rights Lawyer in Uganda. She founded the Sunny African Children's Center, an organization dedicated to caring for and protecting children of detainees, as well as other vulnerable youth such as street children and orphans. Since her release, Susan has been a champion of justice and human rights in Uganda and a prominent advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. She travels the world sharing her experiences on death row. Susan is also a global ambassador for the charity Justice Defenders (formerly African Prisons Project), who supported her in obtaining a law degree while in prison.
Ticket reservation recommended
To be assured of a seat, we recommend reserving a ticket (black "order" button).
SG & USE/ITEC registration
Please register for SG & USE/ITEC by scanning your student ID at the venue prior to the start of the program.
More information about SG & USE/ITEC can be found here.