The General Court Martial has has sentenced lawyer Eron Kiiza to nine months in prison for what it termed as "gross professional misconduct".

Mr Kiiza, one of the key lawyers in opposition figure Kizza Besigye's trial before the military court, was found guilty of "banging the angle bars and didn't listen to the chairman of the court".

He has been ordered locked up at Kitalya Prison.

Mr Kiiza, who was in the morning thrown into the caged dock where his clients Besigye and his associate Obeid Lutale were, was brought to the court after the lunch adjournment in handcuffs.

Mr Samuel Muyizi, another defence lawyer, said Mr Kiiza had been tortured during the break and that his arm was dislocated.

"He said they [military personnel] had [attempted to] strangle him," Mr Muyizi told reporters outside the court.

His sentence was passed without a trial, contrary to basic principals of justice system even in a military court.

With deep concerns over the conduct of the military court that is largely seen as kangaroo by critics, the sentencing of Mr Kiiza without a hearing will be seen as a major abuse of the fundamental rights of the lawyer.

Critics have argued for years that the military court has no jurisdiction to try civilians and that military men treat civilians like military personnel when in the court martial.

The controversial jailing of Mr Kiiza, who has clashed with Judge Advocate Brigadier-General Richard Tukacungurwa over procedural matters, could leave the Judiciary on the ropes after the Supreme Court failed to rule on an appeal against the Constitutional Court's stripping of military courts of the right to try civilians.

This is developing story.