Besigye’s legal team announces to boycott the General Court Martial

On January 31, Uganda's Supreme Court ruled that military courts have no authority to try civilians. This decision brought a halt to ongoing cases against Dr. Kizza Besigye and his aide, Obeid Lutale. Following this ruling, Besigye’s legal team announced they would no longer attend the General Court Martial.

Erias Lukwago, Besigye’s lawyer, criticized the continued detention of his clients, calling it illegal and extrajudicial. Lukwago argued that their imprisonment is now unjustifiable under the law, and he raised concerns that the government may ignore the Supreme Court’s decision to keep them in custody.

Today, Besigye and Lutale are scheduled to appear before the General Court Martial. It is unclear whether their charges will be dropped, shifted to civil courts, or whether the military court might disregard the Supreme Court’s ruling and proceed with the case.

Besigye’s legal team is pushing for the ruling to be respected and plans to meet today to strategize on securing the release of political prisoners. Lukwago stated that appearing before a military court lacking authority to try civilians would be unacceptable, as it undermines the legal system’s credibility.

President Yoweri Museveni acknowledged that the Supreme Court’s decision posed challenges for military courts. However, he noted that some justices saw the possibility of adjusting the process for trying civilians, suggesting that certain conditions might allow military courts to handle such cases in the future.

Despite these complications, Besigye’s legal team is determined to ensure compliance with the ruling and to work toward the release of all political detainees.