HUDDERSFIELD lawyers who have forged a link with Uganda are protesting over the African states' treatment of its opposition leader.
Three senior figures have put their names to a letter of protest by the legal profession.
Anne Pendlebury, John Royle and Nigel Priestley are all members of Huddersfield Law Society's twinning committee, which is linked with Uganda Law Society.
They have spoken out after the trial of Dr Kizza Besigye had to be abandoned last month on the orders of the army.
Since then the country's government has banned all demonstrations and public rallies relating to the case.
Mr Priestley said: "The independence of the Ugandan judiciary must be protected.
"Its members must be free to carry out their duties independently and without impediment."
Besigye, 49, is the main challenger to president Yoweri Museveni in next year's elections.
He returned to Uganda in October after four years in exile, but was arrested on charges of treason, rape and terrorism.
