A Ugandan military court on Monday released on bail 18 supporters of singer-turned-opposition leader Bobi Wine detained since the start of the year on charges lawyers and government critics say are politically motivated.
The move follows the release on May 25 of a first batch of 17 activists from a group of 35 originally detained on Dec. 30 for violating COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings.
They were subsequently charged in a military court with weapons offences, even though all the accused are civilians.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has over the last three years galvanized a large support base, especially among the country’s youth, provoking a deadly crackdown from the government of veteran leader, Yoweri Museveni.
He stood against Museveni in the country’s Jan. 14 presidential election, but results released by the electoral body said he had lost to Museveni.
Wine rejected the results, alleging ballot stuffing, intimidation of his supporters and falsification of ballot tallies. The U.S. also said the poll was not credible and has sanctioned officials. The government denied election fraud.
Since last year security forces have detained hundreds of Wine’s supporters for interrogations, according to rights activists, the government and opposition officials. Some of those detained have been freed, while others who were detained have not been traced anywhere in official detention facilities.
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