KAMPALA, Nov. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Ugandan lawyers under their umbrella organization, the Uganda Law Society (ULS), have resolved to hold a national-wide sit-down strike over a recent incident when armed men stormed the premises of the High Court when treason suspects were about to be granted bail.

    Moses Adriko, the president of the ULS, was quoted by the official New Vision newspaper as saying on Tuesday that the lawyers resolved to write a letter to President Yoweri Museveni over the presence of armed Joint Anti Terrorism Team military personnel at the High Court last week as the suspects were about to be set free on bail.

    The lawyers said the independence of the Judiciary had been interfered with by the deployment of the armed personnel.

    Adriko said that they are persuaded that a vigorous and robust reaction by the lawyers is required to ensure that the government understands that they are against further intimidation and abuse designed to undermine the judiciary and rule of law.

    The lawyers resolved to hold a national sit-down strike next Monday and to attend court enmass when the suspected People's Redemption Army (PRA) rebels on treason charges reappear in court.

    Last Wednesday, armed personnel stormed the premises of the High Court when suspected rebels of the PRA, a rebel group fighting the Ugandan government were about to be granted bail.

    Ugandan army spokesman Maj. Felix Kulaije told Xinhua that the armed personnel were on orders to re-arrest the suspects so that they can face the military court.

    Kulaije said that the suspects had to face the court martial because they were found with military equipment which is a reserve of the army.

    Meanwhile, the country's Principal Judge James Ogoola has taken over the case in which opposition leader Kiiza Besigye who was arrested recently is facing charges of treason, rape among others.

    Besigye returns to court on Thursday for hearing of his bail application.

    Justice Sempa Lugayizi, who was earlier scheduled to hear the bail application, pulled out of the case, citing military interference.

    Military personnel surrounded the High Court during the bail hearing of 14 of Besigye's co-accused.

    Besigye, remanded at Luzira Maximum Prison, is charged with treason together with 22 others, including his brother Joseph Musasizi Kifefe.

    Besigye returned to Uganda late last month after living in exile for four years. He fled the country after the 2001 presidential elections in which he was the first runner-up alleging that his security was not guaranteed.

    Days after his return and election to represent his political party, Forum for Democratic Change in next year's presidential elections, he was arrested sparking off violent demonstrations in the capital Kampala. Enditem