ULS accuses Museveni of interfering in Besigye trial

Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has condemned President Yoweri Museveni over comments he made about Dr. Kizza Besigye’s ongoing treason trial and his renewed proposal to abolish bail, saying the remarks amount to executive interference in the administration of justice.

In a televised national address on Saturday evening, President Museveni accused Besigye of delaying his own trial by repeatedly challenging the court process instead of defending himself against the charges.

The President questioned why an accused person should be allowed to postpone trial for an extended period, arguing that the opposition politician should use the proceedings to prove his innocence if he believes the charges are politically motivated.

He also criticized the continued granting of bail in serious criminal cases, saying suspects who intimidate witnesses should not easily be released pending trial.

However, in a statement issued shortly after the President’s address, the Uganda Law Society said Museveni’s comments on an active criminal case violated the sub judice principle and risked prejudicing Besigye’s right to a fair hearing.

The statement, signed by ULS President Isaac K. Ssemakadde, called on the Chief Justice, the Judiciary’s top management and judicial associations to publicly denounce what it described as executive interference with the courts.

“The President’s address constitutes clear sub judice contempt of court,” the statement said, arguing that his comments publicly speculated on the motives, conduct and merits of a case that is still before the courts.

The lawyers’ body further argued that the President’s renewed criticism of bail amounted to an attack on constitutional guarantees of personal liberty and the presumption of innocence under Articles 23 and 28 of the Constitution.

According to the ULS, decisions on whether to grant bail are exclusively within the jurisdiction of the courts and cannot be dictated by the Executive.

It added that abolishing bail would be inconsistent with Uganda’s constitutional framework as well as international standards, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (Tokyo Rules), the African Commission’s Luanda Guidelines and the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary.

“Banning bail will not protect witnesses. It will instead punish the innocent and shield systemic failures from scrutiny,” the statement said.

The society demanded that President Museveni immediately stop commenting publicly on active court cases, including Besigye’s trial, saying such remarks undermine judicial independence and public confidence in the justice system.

It also urged the Judiciary to publicly defend its independence, citing the stance taken by Magistrate Sheilla Gloria Atim in the case of Uganda v. Miria Matembe (Luzira Criminal Case No. 132 of 2026), which the ULS described as an example of judicial officers resisting external interference.

The lawyers’ body further called on the government to address what it described as deeper structural challenges in the justice sector, including judicial inefficiency, corruption, weak witness protection and alleged political and military interference in judicial processes.

Besigye is currently facing treason charges before the civilian courts after his case was transferred from the military justice system following a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that civilians cannot be tried by military courts.

Since then, the case has been marked by a series of legal challenges over the conduct of the prosecution and the handling of proceedings. The Uganda Law Society said it remains committed to defending constitutionalism, the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary.