Ugandan authorities have remanded a writer Norman Tumuhimbise and journalist Bikobere Pharidah for “offensive communication” against President Yoweri Museveni.

A joint task force led by the Ugandan Army arrested the two men alongside seven other journalists last Thursday at the Digitalk offices.

Although most of the journalists were released on bond, they were charged with offensive communication against Mr Museveni.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Turyamusima, the legal counsel of Tumuhimbise and Pharidah who appeared in court on Wednesday told VOA his clients looked tortured.

“And the two charges, one is offensive communication and cyber stalking of the person of the president. They both pleaded not guilty, though they looked tortured,” said the lawyer.

There have been speculations that Mr Museveni, who has been ruling Uganda for the past 36 years may step aside for his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, a high-ranking military officer.

Mr Museveni is infamous for prosecuting critics of his never-ending regime.

In January, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was charged to court for calling the president “obese” and a “curmudgeon” on his Twitter page.

He had been accused of using “his Twitter handle to disturb the peace” of the president and his son.

Following vicious torture at the military facility he was being held, Mr Rukirabashaija fled to save his life when the opportunity presented itself. He fled using the Rwandan land border to escape the president’s oppression.

“Conditions had become impossible for him, they kept surveilling him. They took away his passport. He had no option but to go and save his life,” his lawyer, Eron Kiiza told the Associated Press.