KAMPALA, Uganda — Lawyers defending jailed opposition leader Kizza Besigye on Tuesday decried the constant harassment they face from security personnel at a Ugandan military court.
The defence team, led by Luyimbazi Nalukoola, told the court that they are subjected to rigorous searches and mistreatment at the court’s entrance and within the courtroom.
Nalukoola said the harassment has left them exhausted even before court proceedings begin. “We are not treated with the dignity and respect we deserve as officers of the court,” he said.
Another defence lawyer, Kato Tumusiime, pointed out that security personnel lack name tags, making it difficult to identify them.
Judge Advocate Raphael Mugisha attributed the lawyers’ treatment to their own conduct. However, the court’s presiding chairman, Brig. Robert Freeman Mugabe, promised to investigate the allegations.
The incident has raised concerns about the fairness of the trial and the ability of the defence team to represent Besigye effectively.
Besigye, a longtime opponent of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was arrested and charged with treason after he claimed the 2016 presidential election was rigged.
