KAMPALA, Uganda — Military prosecutors in Uganda have added a charge of treachery, which carries the death penalty, to the case against opposition leader Kiiza Besigye. The additional charge was announced during a court hearing on Monday, deepening the legal troubles for the veteran critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
Besigye, detained in Kenya in November and subsequently returned to Uganda, is also facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and undermining national security. Despite being a civilian, he is being tried in a military court alongside his aide, Obeid Lutale, who was arrested with him. Both have been held in Kampala since their arrest.
According to a charge sheet, Besigye and Lutale are accused of possessing information about a plot to compromise national security and intentionally failing to report it to authorities. His legal team protested the new charge, arguing it violated established criminal trial procedures.
Concerns have also been raised about the detention of Eron Kiiza, a human rights lawyer on Besigye’s defense team. Kiiza was sentenced to nine months in prison for alleged contempt of court following an altercation with court staff during a prior hearing. Amnesty International has condemned his detention, calling for his release.
Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, has described the charges as politically motivated. His lawyers have dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
Besigye, who was once an ally of Museveni and served as his personal physician, has run against the president in four elections, each time rejecting the results over alleged irregularities. Human rights groups have long accused Museveni’s administration of abuses, including torture and arbitrary detentions, allegations the government denies.
