Ugandan murderer avoids deportation from Britain due to human rights

A Ugandan national, known only as ZM, was convicted in 2006 for the gangland murder of Eugen Breahna in London, where he participated in a brutal attack using baseball bats and golf clubs. After serving a minimum of 16 years, the UK Home Office sought to deport him back to Uganda upon his release. However, a judge ruled against the deportation, citing potential violations of ZM's human rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, which the UK remains bound by post-Brexit. ZM's legal team argued that he suffers from mental illness, and sending him back to Uganda would be inhumane due to the lack of adequate mental health care in his home country. The judge agreed, stating that ZM would face a serious decline in health and significant suffering if deported. This decision was upheld by senior immigration judge Christopher John Hanson, who emphasized the unavailability of necessary treatment in Uganda. The ruling reflects a broader trend in the UK, where judges have frequently blocked the deportation of foreign criminals based on human rights grounds. Previous cases include a 2020 incident where a deportation flight was halted due to detainees being denied mobile phone access, and a ruling that prevented a Taliban-affiliated terrorist from being sent back to Afghanistan due to PTSD. This case highlights the ongoing tension between the UK government’s efforts to deport foreign criminals and the judiciary's commitment to upholding human rights standards, raising questions about the balance between public safety and individual rights.