Uganda: Opposition leader facing capital punishment
The Ugandan martial court has ruled that historical opposition figure Kizza Besigye can be tried for treachery, a crime punishable by capital punishment according to Al-Jazeera on January 14th.
The decision marks a new step in the case brought against Besigye since his arrest in November.
Besigye’s spouse claims he was abducted when he went missing in Nairobi, Kenya on November 16th.
When originally standing before courts with a close member of opposition, he was charged with carrying two pistols and seeking foreign military support to destabilize national security.
However, the opposition figure contests the charges and claims that he should be tried by a civil jurisdiction as he remains in custody.
The military court added the additional charges of treachery making capital punishment a possible outcome.
Kizza Besygie, an active member of the opposition and the former doctor of current president Museveni, was meant to stand for next elections in 2026.
The former military officer stood unsuccessfully four times against his former patient and proactively continues to oppose the regime, a stance that landed him in prison on multiple occasions.
Amnesty international has called for Besygie’s release stating that “abduction clearly violated international human rights law and the process of extradition with its requisite fair trial protections”.
Human Rights Watch called Besygie’s trial “the latest example of Uganda’s authorities misusing military courts and military-related charges to clamp down on the opposition”.
Museveni has been at the head of Uganda since 1986 and is expected seek re-election when his mandate comes to term in 2026.
He has repeatedly come under international scrutiny for alleged violation against political opponents.
It is unclear who within the governing National Resistance Movement will replace the ageing leader who is yet to designate a successor.
Thus, Besygie’s arrest comes at a time of political instability in which it is likely the opposition party will seek to gain prominence.
Al-Jazeera.
