Expanding Access to Justice
through Virtual Courts and Online Learning
When the Covid-19 pandemic closed courtrooms across East Africa, Justice Defenders partnered with the Prisons Services and the Judiciary in Kenya and Uganda to introduce virtual courts that kept justice moving for people in detention. The model connected prisons to national courts through secure video links, allowing judges to hear cases promptly while prisoners appeared from within the prison system. What began as an emergency response has now been fully integrated into both countries’ justice processes and has received government investment and international recognition, including from the World Justice Project in 2021.
Virtual courts have reduced delays, eased prison congestion, and strengthened the right to a fair and timely hearing. They ensure that even during national disruptions people in prison remain visible to the justice system and able to appear before a judge without long waits or costly transfers.
Alongside this work, Justice Defenders has expanded online learning across its paralegal and University of London law degree programmes, pioneering internet access and digital education inside East African prisons. These innovations equip incarcerated learners and prison officers with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the justice system and support others, strengthening legal empowerment from within.