Uganda confirms military trials for civilians despite the Supreme Court ruling Courts News

The government of Prime Minister Yori Museveni has often defended military trials, noting concerns about national security.

Uganda Parliament approved a controversial bill that permits the military courts of civilians, which led to a condemnation of opposition figures and rights groups, which accuses the government of attempting to silence opponents, which is what it denies.

This practice was long used in Uganda, but was removed by the country’s Supreme Court in January. The Supreme Court ruled that the military courts lack the legal efficiency of the experience of civilians and failed to meet the fair trial standards.

Despite this ruling, legislators on Tuesday made the legislation, which allows the trial of civilians in military courts.

General Mawhuzi Kenerugaba, president of the army and son of Prime Minister Yurei Musfini, said in a position on X.

Earlier this month, Kenerugaba said he was carrying a missing opposition activist The lower floor Violence threatened against him, after the man’s party said it had been kidnapped.

The government of Museveni has often defended military trials according to the necessity of national security, amid concerns about the armed opposition and the alleged threats of the stability of the state.

Military spokesman Chris Majzi said that the legislation “will decisively deal with violent armed criminals, and determine the formation of militant political groups that seek to sabotage democratic operations, and ensure that national security is linked to a firm founding base.”

But critics say this step is part of a wider pattern of repression. “There is no legal basis for providing civil trial in the Military Court,” opposition MP Jonathan Udor told Parliament during the discussion on the draft law. He described the legislation as “shallow, unreasonable and unconstitutional.”

For years, Uganda used military courts to prosecute opposition politicians and government critics.

In 2018, Bob Wayne, the leader of the stars who turned into pop stars, was accused in a military court of possession of illegal firearms. The charges were later dropped.

Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition figure who challenged Museveni in multiple elections, was arrested in Kenya last year and returned to Uganda to confront a military court.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling in January, his trial was transferred to a civil court. His party, the People’s Freedom Front (PF), denounced the accusation that it has political motives.

Human Rights Watch has been criticized by the military courts in Uganda for its failure to meet the international standards of judicial and fair independence.

Oryem Nyeno, one of the major participants in Africa in HRW, He said earlier this year: “For years the Ugandan authorities have misused military courts to eliminate opponents and critics.”