Overview

• Judge Emmanuel Baguma ruled that the 180-day remand period began when Besigye was transferred to a civilian court on February 21, leaving him 12 days short of automatic bail eligibility.
• Besigye has been held without trial for nearly nine months on treason and firearms charges after being abducted from Kenya in November 2024 and initially tried by a military tribunal.
• His lawyers argued for his automatic release after exceeding the 180-day limit on remand, but the court rejected this interpretation.
• Opposition figure Bobi Wine and human rights groups warn that continued detention signals a broader crackdown on critics ahead of President Museveni’s 2026 re-election campaign.
• The Ugandan government maintains that all detainees have committed crimes and denies targeting opposition leaders.