The Attorney General has asked the High Court Criminal Division to dismiss a human rights application filed by retired Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale over alleged denial of their right to legal representation.
In submissions filed before the High Court in Kampala on Monday, the Attorney General, who is representing the Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and the government, argued that the two applicants had failed to prove that their constitutional rights were violated.
The Attorney General urged court to dismiss the application with costs, saying there was no evidence showing that Besigye and Lutale were prevented from accessing legal representation as guaranteed under the Constitution.
The application was filed under the Human Rights (Enforcement) Act, 2019, and is connected to Criminal Session Case No. 335 of 2025, in which Besigye and Lutale are facing charges before court.
The two argue that their right to a fair hearing was affected after Kenyan Senior Counsel Martha Karua was not allowed entry into Uganda by immigration authorities. They also claim that the arrest and prosecution of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago affected their ability to have their preferred defence team.
However, the Attorney General maintains that the applicants have not provided sufficient evidence to support their claims and that the court should find no violation of their legal rights.
The matter will now be considered by the High Court as both sides present their arguments on whether the application should proceed or be dismissed.
Besigye and Lutale have continued to challenge aspects of their trial, insisting that their constitutional rights, including access to their preferred lawyers and a fair hearing, must be protected.
