Thirty-six members of Uganda's opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), who were charged with terrorism-related offenses last month, are scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

The group had traveled to the Kenyan city of Kisumu for a training course, according to their lawyers, but were deported back to neighboring Uganda where authorities charged them with terrorism-related offenses.

The Uganda Police Force in a statement accused the suspects of being "engaged in covert activities that are suspected to be subversive, drawing the attention of Kenyan security forces."

The group denied any wrongdoing, their legal representatives said. Lawyer Erias Lukwago criticized the actions of the Ugandan authorities.

"This is an absurd abuse of a judicial process to witch-hunt and torment opposition supporters," he said, claiming that the FDC members had travelled to Kisumu to attend a training seminar.

The court charge sheet accused the 36 people of traveling to Kenya "to provide or receive terrorist training." They are now being held at a prison about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of the capital.

"The only purpose of this charge is to make it difficult for the accused to apply for bail so that they're........

© Deutsche Welle