A Ugandan judge refused to grant bail on Friday to veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who has been in jail for almost nine months on treason allegations.
The issue has aroused concerns among government critics, including opposition leader Bobi Wine and human rights organisations, about a crackdown ahead of Uganda’s national election early next year, in which President Yoweri Museveni, 80, is running for re-election.
The administration denies targeting opposition figures, claiming that all those held have committed crimes.
Besigye, Museveni’s former ally and personal physician, has run against him in four elections and lost each time. He has not stated whether he will run again.
Besigye, who denies any wrongdoing, was forcibly returned to Uganda from adjacent Kenya in November of last year and was prosecuted in a military trial before his case was moved to a civilian court.
His lawyers argued that he should be automatically released on bond because he had been in jail for more than 180 days without his trial beginning.
Judge Emmanuel Baguma stated that the 180-day maximum period before mandatory bail is granted only began when he was remanded in the civilian court on February 21, which means he falls short by 12 days in order to secure bail.
