The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has expressed concern at the passing in Uganda’s Parliament of proposed legislation to allow civilians be tried in military courts.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (Amendment Bill) 2025, which was passed May 20th by parliament and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others, broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorizing them to try a wide range of offenses against civilians.
“I am concerned that rather than encouraging efforts to implement the Supreme Court’s crystal-clear decision of January this year, Uganda’s legislators have voted to reinstate and broaden the military court’s jurisdiction to try civilians, which would contravene international human rights law obligations,” said Türk in a press release.
“I respectfully urge President Museveni to reject the retrogressive bill and take the necessary steps to comply fully and promptly with the Supreme Court’s decision.”
The trial of civilians by military courts is in principle incompatible with international human rights law, as it raises serious problems in relation to equitable, impartial, and independent administration of justice. Such trials are only permissible in exceptional cases and subject to strict requirements.
In its landmark decision, the Supreme Court affirmed the unconstitutionality of trying civilians in military courts and ordered the immediate transfer of all criminal charges, ongoing trials, or pending cases involving civilians in military courts to ordinary civilian courts of competent authority.
Parliament’s endorsement of the regressive proposals in the amended bill coincides with a troubling rise in arrests and abductions, harassment and intimidation, as well as torture and other ill-treatment of members of the political opposition, in the lead-up to presidential and parliamentary elections early next year.
****
URN
