Winston Secures Asylum for Ugandan Refugee Fleeing Political Persecution

Winston & Strawn’s client sought asylum in the United States based on the severe persecution he suffered at the hands of the Ugandan government because he was a member of People Power—a resistance group that opposes Uganda’s controlling political party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

As a member of People Power, our client secretly worked to expose the fraudulent election tactics employed by NRM. When NRM learned of our client’s involvement with People Power, NRM detained him in inhumane conditions for 90 days and subjected him to barbaric and extended torture.

In March 2019, fearing for his life, our client left his wife and five children in Uganda and fled to the United States, where he filed for political asylum.

The Winston team helped our client prepare for his asylum hearing and successfully demonstrate that he suffered from past persecution on account of his political beliefs and had a well-founded fear of future persecution. In addition, Winston obtained an accelerated merits hearing for our client. As a result, In September 2021, our client was granted asylum—several years sooner than would normally be expected.

“We are thrilled that Max will not have to return to his home country, where he would have faced certain death due to his fight for political freedoms. Additionally, his wife and five children can now file for derivative asylum and hopefully be quickly reunited with our client, who has been separated from them for nearly three years,” said Chicago Associate Kate Hundt.

The Winston team that worked on this matter includes Chicago Partner Michael Skokna and Associate Olga Pototskaya. 

For more details about Winston’s Pro Bono practice, click here.