Uganda’s largest opposition party has filed a petition in the Constitutional Court seeking to overturn a new law that restores the power of military tribunals to try civilians.
The Supreme Court had banned such trials in January, ruling that military courts lacked the legal competence to conduct fair and impartial criminal proceedings. However, in May, parliament passed legislation reinstating the practice, which President Yoweri Museveni signed into law a month later, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Rights groups have long accused Museveni’s government of using military courts to target political opponents. Officials deny the allegations, saying only civilians involved in armed political violence are prosecuted in such tribunals.
NUP lawyer George Musisi and the party’s secretary-general, Lewis Rubongoya, argue the law was passed without sufficient public consultation. Many opposition members, including pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, have faced military prosecution in the past.
The Supreme Court’s earlier decision forced authorities to transfer the treason case of opposition leader Kizza Besigye to a civilian court. Besigye remains in detention nine months after his arrest and has repeatedly been denied bail.
