In a dramatic turn of events, Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been charged with treason, escalating legal troubles that stem from allegations of plotting to forcibly remove the country's long-time leader. The 68-year-old, a four-time presidential candidate, appeared in a wheelchair in a Kampala courtroom to face the charges, which carry the death penalty in Uganda.
Besigye has been in custody since November 16, following his disappearance in Nairobi, Kenya. After being presented before a military tribunal in Kampala, the Supreme Court intervened, halting his military trial on the grounds that civilians cannot be tried by court-martial panels. Despite calls for his immediate release, Besigye remained in a maximum-security prison and initiated a hunger strike.
