Kizza Besigye, an opposition politician, is denied bail by a Ugandan court

The High Court of Uganda in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, denied a bail application from opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his ally Obeid Lutale in an ongoing treason case. The court determined they did not meet the minimum six-month remand period required for bail.

According to the Daily Monitor, members of Uganda’s legal community expressed concern over the ruling, describing it as inconsistent with prior precedent. The paper said that, in its view, Senior Counsel Peter Walubiri criticised Justice Baguma’s decision, interpreting it as favoring the state for its prior detention of Dr Besigye and expressing disapproval of the judge’s conduct. 

Nicholas Opiyo, another lawyer, suggested the ruling reflected political pressure, referencing past criticism by President Yoweri Museveni, who has accused judges of being too lenient in granting bail. "It seems the Judiciary has caught a cold following the scorn by the President not to grant bail in certain cases," he said.

Besigye’s lawyer Lukwago likewise condemned the ruling as "disastrous."