Veteran Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye collapsed unconscious in the High Court during his treason trial on Wednesday, a development confirmed by his wife, Winnie Byanyima, UN AIDS chief.
Besigye, 70, has been held in custody since November 2024 after his alleged abduction in Kenya and subsequent return to Uganda. He faces treason charges that could carry the death penalty.
During the hearing, witnesses reported that Besigye repeatedly shouted stop over his legal representation before losing consciousness. Guards rushed him to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he was placed in intensive care.
Byanyima has stated that Besigye refuses treatment from government medical staff and demands care from his personal physician. The ICU wing where he is guarded by armed officers has allowed his sister, physician Olive Kobusingye, to see him.
His chief lawyer, Erias Lukwago, is currently jailed, while Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua was barred from entering the country. Besigye’s son has appealed to the president and army chief for his release on humanitarian grounds.
Observers from opposition colleagues note that Besigye’s appearance in court, while visibly unwell, raises questions about human rights conditions in Ugandan courts.
