This Privacy Policy explains how JusticeLink ("JusticeLink", "we", "us", or "our") collects, processes, uses, stores, protects, and discloses personal information when you use our website, web application, mobile application, USSD services, APIs, and related services.
JusticeLink is intended to operate in accordance with applicable Ugandan data-protection and privacy requirements, including the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019 and applicable regulations. The Act establishes obligations concerning lawful and fair processing, data minimization, transparency, security, retention, and data-subject rights.
1. Who Is Responsible for Your Data?
Data Controller: JusticeLink Uganda [registered legal name — NEEDS INPUT]
Address: [NEEDS INPUT]
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +256 784 098 559
Where required, JusticeLink may designate a Data Protection Officer or other responsible person for privacy and data-protection matters.
Data Protection Contact: [NEEDS INPUT]
2. Information We Collect
Depending on how you use JusticeLink, we may collect different categories of information.
2.1 Account Information
This may include:
- name;
- username;
- email address;
- telephone number;
- password credentials in protected form;
- account role;
- account status; and
- information necessary to verify your account.
2.2 Identity and Verification Information
Where account or case verification requires it, we may collect information such as:
- identification information;
- date of birth;
- gender where necessary;
- occupation;
- residential information;
- district;
- contact information;
- verification documents; and
- other information necessary for a legitimate verification purpose.
We will only request information that is relevant and reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose.
2.3 Case and Justice Information
When you submit or interact with a case, complaint, request, or report, we may collect:
- descriptions of incidents;
- names and contact details of people involved;
- case information;
- supporting statements;
- documents;
- photographs;
- attachments;
- communication records;
- information about relevant institutions; and
- other information you voluntarily submit.
Because justice-related matters may contain sensitive personal information, users should only provide information necessary for the relevant matter.
2.4 Location Information
If you enable location services, JusticeLink may process location information to provide features such as:
- nearby police stations;
- nearby Local Council offices;
- nearby justice services;
- nearby legal-aid services;
- emergency assistance;
- case-routing assistance; and
- location-related service functionality.
You may control location permissions through your device or browser.
3. Information We Collect Automatically
When you use JusticeLink, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:
- IP address;
- browser type;
- device type;
- operating system;
- approximate location derived from technical information where applicable;
- pages or features accessed;
- access times;
- error information;
- security logs;
- authentication events; and
- technical information necessary to maintain the Service.
4. How We Use Your Information
We may process personal information for purposes including:
- creating and managing accounts;
- verifying accounts;
- authenticating users;
- providing justice-related services;
- receiving and routing reports;
- processing cases;
- communicating with users;
- providing legal information;
- providing AI-assisted legal-information and routing features;
- identifying nearby services;
- providing emergency-assistance functionality;
- sending SMS, email, or other service notifications;
- maintaining audit and security logs;
- preventing fraud and abuse;
- protecting system security;
- troubleshooting and improving the Service;
- complying with legal obligations;
- responding to lawful requests from competent authorities; and
- performing other purposes communicated to you at the time of collection.
The Data Protection and Privacy Act requires personal information to be collected for lawful, specific and defined purposes and to be adequate, relevant and not excessive or unnecessary.
5. Legal Basis for Processing
Depending on the circumstances, JusticeLink may process personal information where:
- you have provided consent;
- processing is necessary to provide a service you requested;
- processing is necessary to perform or establish a contract;
- processing is required by law;
- processing is necessary for a lawful public function;
- processing is necessary for legitimate and lawful purposes; or
- another lawful basis under applicable Ugandan law applies.
Where consent is relied upon, we will seek it in an appropriate manner and explain the relevant purpose.
6. Sensitive Personal Information
Justice-related submissions may contain information that is particularly private or sensitive.
Depending on the matter, information submitted to JusticeLink may include information concerning:
- health;
- financial circumstances;
- family matters;
- alleged offences;
- victims or witnesses;
- children;
- identity information; or
- other sensitive circumstances.
Users should not submit sensitive information unless it is relevant and necessary for the service being requested.
Where applicable, JusticeLink will apply additional safeguards required by law.
Uganda's Data Protection and Privacy Act places specific restrictions and conditions on the processing of special personal data.
7. Children
JusticeLink may encounter cases involving children because of the nature of justice-related services.
Where personal information concerning a child is collected, JusticeLink will apply the requirements of applicable Ugandan law.
The Data Protection and Privacy Act contains specific requirements concerning processing personal data relating to children.
Where appropriate, information relating to a child should be submitted by a parent, guardian, authorized representative, or other person legally entitled to provide the information.
8. AI-Assisted Features
JusticeLink may use artificial intelligence to provide:
- legal-information assistance;
- case-routing assistance;
- information classification;
- summaries;
- question answering;
- service recommendations; and
- other assistance features.
AI processing may involve sending relevant portions of a user's request or other necessary information to an AI service provider where required to provide the feature.
JusticeLink will seek to minimize the information shared with AI providers and will implement appropriate technical and contractual safeguards where applicable.
AI-generated information is not guaranteed to be accurate and should not be treated as professional legal advice.
9. Legal Knowledge and External Legal Sources
JusticeLink may use curated legal documents and external legal-information sources, including the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ULII), to improve legal-information retrieval.
Where external legal sources are used, JusticeLink may retrieve relevant legal material and provide references or links to the original source.
JusticeLink does not claim ownership of third-party legal materials.
10. Information Sharing
We may share personal information where reasonably necessary and legally permitted with:
- police authorities;
- Local Council institutions;
- District Administrators;
- courts or judicial institutions;
- legal-aid providers;
- lawyers or authorized representatives;
- government authorities;
- service providers acting on our behalf;
- technology and cloud providers;
- communication providers;
- mapping providers;
- AI providers;
- cybersecurity providers; or
- other authorized recipients.
Information will only be shared for a legitimate purpose and subject to applicable legal requirements and appropriate safeguards.
11. Role-Based Access
JusticeLink uses role-based access controls.
A user's information may only be available to personnel or institutions whose role authorizes access to that information.
For example, district-level administrators may be restricted to information relevant to their authorized district, while system-level administrators may have broader administrative responsibilities.
JusticeLink uses technical and organizational controls intended to reduce unauthorized access.
12. Location and Mapping Services
JusticeLink may use third-party mapping services, including Google Maps and related services, to provide mapping and location features.
Where a user enables location services, relevant location information may be processed to identify nearby services or provide other location-based functionality.
Third-party mapping providers may process information according to their own privacy policies and terms.
13. SMS, Email and Notifications
JusticeLink may use third-party providers to send:
- account verification messages;
- password-reset messages;
- case updates;
- alerts;
- service notifications; and
- other communications necessary to operate the Service.
We may disclose the minimum information necessary to these providers to deliver the communication.
14. Security
JusticeLink uses reasonable technical and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against:
- unauthorized access;
- unauthorized disclosure;
- alteration;
- loss;
- destruction;
- misuse; and
- other security threats.
Security measures may include authentication controls, authorization controls, encryption where appropriate, audit logging, access restrictions, secure development practices, backups, and monitoring.
No electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
15. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to comply with legal obligations, to resolve disputes, maintain security, or otherwise as permitted or required by law.
Where information is no longer required, we may delete, destroy, anonymize, or de-identify it in accordance with applicable requirements.
The Data Protection and Privacy Act requires appropriate retention practices and provides for destruction, deletion or de-identification after the applicable retention period.
16. Storage Outside Uganda
Some JusticeLink service providers may process or store information outside Uganda.
Where personal information is processed or stored outside Uganda, JusticeLink will apply the requirements applicable to cross-border processing and appropriate safeguards.
The Data Protection and Privacy Act contains specific requirements for processing or storing personal data outside Uganda.
17. Your Rights
Subject to applicable law, you may have rights relating to your personal information, including rights to:
- know how your information is being processed;
- access personal information held about you;
- request correction of inaccurate information;
- request appropriate deletion or destruction where legally applicable;
- object to certain processing;
- withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
- raise concerns about unlawful processing; and
- make a complaint to the relevant data-protection authority.
Requests should be submitted to:
Privacy Email: [email protected]
We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests.
18. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you should first contact JusticeLink:
Privacy Complaints: [email protected]
You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent Ugandan data-protection authority.
The Data Protection and Privacy Act establishes a data-protection office responsible for receiving and investigating complaints relating to violations of data-protection rights.
19. Cookies
JusticeLink may use cookies and similar technologies.
Cookies may be used for:
- authentication;
- security;
- maintaining sessions;
- remembering preferences;
- analytics;
- performance;
- functionality; and
- other legitimate purposes.
For more information, see our Cookie Policy.
20. Third-Party Links
JusticeLink may contain links to external websites or services.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, security, or policies of external websites.
Users should review the privacy policies of external services before providing personal information.
21. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, technology, legal obligations, or data-processing practices change.
Material changes may be communicated through the Service or other appropriate means.
The updated policy will display a revised "Last Updated" date.
22. Contact Us
JusticeLink Operator: JusticeLink Uganda [registered legal name — NEEDS INPUT]
Privacy Contact: [email protected]
Data Protection Officer: [NEEDS INPUT]
Physical Address: [NEEDS INPUT]
Telephone: +256 784 098 559
Website: justicelinkug.org