A Ugandan magistrates' court charged detained opposition politician Kizza Besigye with treason on Friday, rejecting his lawyer's pleas that he be transferred to hospital to help him recover from ill health stemming from a hunger strike.
The 68-year-old opponent and critic of longtime President Yoweri Museveni appeared in court in the capital Kampala on Friday looking frail and in a wheelchair. He was briefly hospitalised at the weekend and a government minister this week said his health condition was alarming.
His lawyers say he was "kidnapped" in Kenya's capital Nairobi with his aide Obed Lutale in November and returned to Uganda, where they were charged with offences including illegal weapons possession and treachery in a military court.
His wife said on February 12 that he had begun a hunger strike over his detention. His lawyer said on Friday he had now ended it because his case had been transferred to a civilian court following a Supreme Court ruling on January 31 that trying civilians in military courts was unconstitutional.
The magistrates' court issued new charges, of treason and the concealment of treason - what it said were efforts to overthrow the government - but declined to allow Besigye to enter a plea because the offences can only be tried by a higher court.
He did not respond to the earlier charges as he viewed them as illegal.
His continued incarceration has elicited anger among Ugandans and sparked some protests. The 56-member-state Commonwealth has called for his release.
Critics of Museveni, who took power in 1986, say Besigye's detention is the latest example of hardening authoritarianism ahead of an election next year in which the president is expected to stand again.
Officials deny accusations of human rights violations and say those detained are afforded due process through the courts.
Erias Lukwago, one of Besigye's lawyers, urged chief magistrate Esther Nyadoi on Friday to order prison authorities to take Besigye to a hospital for specialised medical care. Nyadoi said her court did not have the authority to grant such a request.
Uganda has reinforced its military presence in eastern Congo, deploying 1,000–2,000 additional troops near the M23 conflict zone. The move raises concerns over a regional escalation, as Uganda and Rwanda both have forces operating in the area amid growing instability.
Uganda has launched a trial vaccination program for the Sudan strain of Ebola as confirmed cases rise to three. With no approved vaccine for this strain, the trial aims to protect communities and strengthen outbreak response, according to the WHO.
The death toll from a devastating landslide in eastern Uganda has risen to 28, with the bodies of two three-year-old boys among those recovered, police confirmed
A deadly landslide in eastern Uganda has left at least 15 people dead and over 100 missing, as heavy rains triggered the disaster. Dozens of homes were buried across several villages, and rescue efforts have been hindered by destroyed roads and impassable conditions.
Menlo Park, CA, February 17, 2025 – Newly unsealed court documents from the case Kadrey v. Meta shed light on internal discussions among Meta employees about the use of copyrighted materials to train the company’s artificial intelligence models.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress for nearly $40 billion in disaster funding to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild areas scorched by last month's devastating wildfires, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing a letter.
San Francisco, February 17, 2025 – OpenAI has terminated a group of Chinese ChatGPT accounts that were reportedly used to edit and debug code for an AI-powered social media surveillance tool.
‘We are already negotiating to work together in space, we can collaborate in this sphere also," Russian leader says
Vatican City, February 20, 2025 – Pope Francis will not appear in public on Sunday to lead his customary prayer with pilgrims, marking the second consecutive week of absence, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
A tragic crowd crush at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night left 18 dead and 10 injured as thousands of people, many heading to the Kumbh Mela festival, attempted to board delayed trains. The incident highlights the ongoing risks of overcrowding at public transportation hubs in India.
A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday, injuring 18 people. Officials are investigating whether strong winds and snow played a role in the incident.
Berlin, February 21, 2025 – German citizens will head to the polls on Sunday, February 23, for a snap general election after the coalition government collapsed late last year.
BERLIN, Feb 22 (Reuters) - NATO is planning to build a pipeline system from Germany to Poland and the Czech Republic to ensure a rapid supply of jet fuel for fighter aircraft in the event of a war with Russia, weekly German magazine Der Spiegel reported.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress for nearly $40 billion in disaster funding to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild areas scorched by last month's devastating wildfires, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing a letter.
A second meeting between representatives of Russia and the United States is planned for the next two weeks, the RIA state news agency reported on Saturday, citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Washington, D.C., February 21, 2025 – U.S. negotiators have reportedly raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service unless Kyiv reaches an agreement to grant the United States greater access to its critical minerals.
Hamas has begun releasing hostages from Gaza on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, as Israel confirmed that a body handed over earlier was that of hostage Shiri Bibas.
Menlo Park, CA, February 17, 2025 – Newly unsealed court documents from the case Kadrey v. Meta shed light on internal discussions among Meta employees about the use of copyrighted materials to train the company’s artificial intelligence models.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress for nearly $40 billion in disaster funding to help Los Angeles recover and rebuild areas scorched by last month's devastating wildfires, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing a letter.
San Francisco, February 17, 2025 – OpenAI has terminated a group of Chinese ChatGPT accounts that were reportedly used to edit and debug code for an AI-powered social media surveillance tool.
‘We are already negotiating to work together in space, we can collaborate in this sphere also," Russian leader says
Vatican City, February 20, 2025 – Pope Francis will not appear in public on Sunday to lead his customary prayer with pilgrims, marking the second consecutive week of absence, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment