Why are these cases being tried by military courts?

Some countries -- not havens of democracy -- persist in using military courts to try individuals who are not serving members of the armed forces. Today's examples include Afghanistan, where a military court has tried a civilian journalist, and Venezuela, where a military court has tried a retired officer. The use of military courts to try retired officers has been a recurring theme in Latin America, and has been repeatedly condemned by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.