"He appeared (on Wednesday) and the treason charges were freshly
read to him again. He was thereafter remanded," Solomon Muyita,
spokesman for Uganda's judiciary, told Reuters.
Opposition leader Kizza Besigye speaks during a news conference at his
home at the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, February 21, 2016.
Uganda's main opposition figure Kizza Besigye
has been ordered detained until June 1 on charges of treason, a
judicial official said, days after he was accused of unlawfully
declaring himself president.
Besigye lost to veteran leader Yoweri Museveni
in presidential elections in February, but said the vote had been
rigged. He was detained last week, then charged on Friday with being
sworn in as president in a mock ceremony, a charge sheet showed.
The
conduct of the election and treatment of opponents has drawn criticism
from Western donors, who also value Uganda as an ally in the fight
against Islamist militants. Ugandan troops are part of an African force
battling al Shabaab in Somalia.
The opposition has staged sporadic protests since the vote, leading to clashes with police and dozens of arrests.
"He appeared (on Wednesday) and the treason charges were freshly read to him again. He was thereafter remanded," Solomon Muyita, spokesman for Uganda's judiciary, told Reuters.
He is expected to return to court on June 1, Muyita added.
Besigye, a perennial loser to Museveni, has been detained many times over the years. He was also charged with treason in 2005.
If found guilty, Besigye could face the death penalty, although Uganda has not carried out an execution in years.
His
lawyer, Moses Byamugisha, and allies said Besigye appeared without
legal representation and said he was taken to court ahead of schedule
early in the morning before being swiftly returned to Luzira maximum
security prison near Kampala.
A government spokesman denied any such tactic.
Museveni was named winner of the election with 60 percent of the vote while Besigye came second with 35 percent.
The government denied charges that the election was rigged. But European Union monitors said the poll was carried out in an intimidating atmosphere orchestrated by state actors.
The United States has voiced concern about the harassment of opposition figures.
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