Uganda's parliament introduces bill to let military courts try civilians
KAMPALA - The Ugandan government introduced a bill in parliament on Tuesday that would allow military tribunals to prosecute civilians, months after the country's Supreme Court ruled the practice unconstitutional.
The top court's January verdict forced the government to transfer the trial of opposition politician and former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye to a civilian court, where state prosecutors have charged him with several crimes including treason.
Political allies and lawyers for Besigye, who has lost to President Yoweri Museveni in four elections, say the accusations are politically motivated.
Minister of Defence Jacob Marksons Oboth introduced the "Uganda People's Defence Forces Bill, 2025" on the floor of the House on Tuesday, where it was referred to a House committee for scrutiny.
Civilians may be tried under military law in exceptional circumstances, such as when they are in "unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the defence forces," according to the draft law seen by Reuters.
Besigye was forcefully removed from the Kenyan capital Nairobi in November, and presented in a military court in neighbouring Uganda a few days later, where he was charged with offences including the illegal possession of firearms.
Kenya's government denied involvement in what it called Besigye's abduction.
The new bill also includes crimes of abetting or aiding a soldier to commit crimes including treason, murder and aggravated robbery, among others.
Human rights activists and opposition politicians have long accused Museveni's government of using military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and supporters on politically motivated charges.
The new law will be used to "persecute regime opponents and deal with the growing resistance against the regime," said David Lewis Rubongoya from the National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda's largest opposition party.
Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
NUP's leader Bobi Wine said on Friday he plans to contest the presidential ballot due in January, in which Museveni is widely expected to seek reelection. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Bolsonaro denies orchestrating Brazil coup in Supreme Court testimony
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, attends Brazil's Supreme Court trial over alleged coup attempt, as Brazil's Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes leads the proceedings, in Brasilia, Brazil June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Diego Herculano Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attends Brazil's Supreme Court trial over an alleged coup attempt, in Brasilia, Brazil June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Diego Herculano BRASILIA - Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro denied that he led an attempt to overthrow the government after losing the 2022 election during his trial before the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday, but acknowledged taking part in meetings aimed at reversing the outcome. Bolsonaro said he and senior aides discussed alternatives to accepting the electoral results, including the possibility of deploying military forces and suspending some civil liberties, but he said those proposals were soon dropped. "The feeling was that there was nothing else we could do. We had to swallow the election results," the ex-president said. "I never acted against the Constitution," Bolsonaro added, holding a copy of the country's 1988 charter that re-established democracy after two decades of military rule. In March, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Bolsonaro and seven other people, including several military officers, who were charged with plotting a coup to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023. The charges stem from a two-year police investigation into the election-denying movement that culminated in riots by Bolsonaro supporters in the capital in early 2023, a week after Lula took office. Bolsonaro, who was the sixth defendant to testify in the case, spent several minutes of his two hours of testimony defending his administration's achievements and his criticism of the country's electoral system. Dozens of witnesses were previously heard by the court, an indication that the case is moving swiftly and could be concluded by the end of the year, avoiding overlap with campaigning for the 2026 presidential election. Bolsonaro has insisted he will run in that campaign, despite an electoral court decision barring him from seeking public office until 2030. On Monday, Bolsonaro attended the trial to watch testimony from Mauro Cid, his former aide turned whistleblower, and then shook his hand. Cid told the court that the former president reviewed a draft decree that was central to the coup plot and made changes, while keeping a section that ordered the arrest of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is now overseeing the case against Bolsonaro and his allies. On Tuesday, the former president said he only briefly saw the draft decree and never edited it. He also apologized for making unfounded corruption allegations about Supreme Court justices. "Forgive me," he told Moraes. A final ruling on Bolsonaro's case is expected by October. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Argentina's top court upholds guilty verdict against Kirchner that bans her from office
Supporters of Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner chant outside the Partido Justicialista (Justicialista Party) national building, ahead of a decision by Argentina's Supreme Court on her guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Tomas Cuesta People stand outside the Justice Palace after Argentina's Supreme Court upheld former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Lazaro Fernandez People walk near the Justice Palace after Argentina's Supreme Court upheld former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Lazaro Fernandez Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner leaves her apartment for a meeting with lawmakers, ahead of a decision by Argentina's Supreme Court on her guilty verdict for defrauding the state, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10, 2025. REUTERS/Tomas Cuesta Argentina's top court upholds guilty verdict against Kirchner that bans her from office BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a guilty verdict that sentenced powerful two-term former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to six years in prison for defrauding the state and banned her from public office. Kirchner, 72, a polarizing figure and leftist who served as president from 2007 to 2015, was convicted by a trial court in 2022 for a fraud scheme that steered public road work projects in the Patagonia to a close ally while she was president. Kirchner, Argentina's most starry politician in recent decades who has rockstar status among her supporters, has denied wrongdoing and claims she is a victim of political persecution. The Supreme Court's three judges left in effect an appellate court decision that had previously upheld the guilty verdict. A lower court will decide whether to grant Kirchner house arrest due to her age. The verdict is a blow for Kirchner, the Peronist's political grandee, though could galvanize the fragmented opposition movement ahead of midterm elections later this year where it will look to challenge libertarian President Javier Milei. Kirchner had announced this month plans to run in legislative elections scheduled for September. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Pentagon chief vows to honour Aukus nuclear-powered sub deal
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth testifying before House members at the US Capitol on June 10. PHOTO: AFP WASHINGTON - Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth sought on June 10 to reassure lawmakers over the US pledge to supply Australia with a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, amid growing concern that production is not rolling out quickly enough to meet the commitment. Under the Aukus deal signed to great fanfare in 2021, Washington, London and Canberra are cooperating on the joint development of cyber warfare tools, artificial intelligence and hypersonic missiles. The agreement commits the US to building cutting-edge submarines for Australia, an investment with an estimated cost of up to US$235 billion (S$300 billion) over 30 years. Australia plans to acquire at least three Virginia Class submarines from the US within the next 15 years, eventually manufacturing its own nuclear-powered subs. The US navy has 24 Virginia-class vessels, which can carry cruise missiles, but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year. Critics question why the US would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first. Questioned by members of the US House of Representatives, Mr Hegseth said his team was talking 'every day' to US shipbuilders Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls to ensure that 'their needs not only are being met, but their shortfalls are being addressed.' The former Fox News host, one of President Donald Trump's most divisive Cabinet appointments, acknowledged a 'gap' between current supply and future demand, but added that submarine building is 'crucial' to US security. He blamed Mr Trump's Democratic predecessor, Mr Joe Biden, for having 'neglected' the industrial base for submarine construction. While the stealthy Virginia class is an attack and intelligence gathering submarine designed for a wide range of missions, the Columbia class is a ballistic missile carrier built for nuclear deterrence that will be the largest submarine ever built by the US. Democrat Rosa DeLauro – whose home state of Connecticut builds Navy submarines – berated Mr Hegseth over the Pentagon's decision to move US$3.1 billion earmarked in 2026 for Columbia-class construction to 2027 and 2028. 'Is that going to raise alarm bells across the defence industrial base by signlaling a lack of commitment to the programme?' she asked. Mr Hegseth committed to the 'on-time' delivery of the vessels. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.