The Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye began a hunger strike when her time spent in detention awaiting trial is close to three months.
Besigye, 68, was charged before a military court of possession of pistols and tried to buy weapons abroad – of the charges he denies.
On Tuesday, an assistant from the Besigye political movement, the Liberty Front (PFF), told the BBC: “We think he protests because he should not yet be in prison – he should be at home . “
The Besigye trial was initially postponed until January – it is not clear when the trial begins.
Besigye was a personal doctor for the longtime president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, but has become an opposition leader.
He challenged and lost four presidential elections against Museveni, which has been in power since 1986. The veteran opposition figure previously accused the Ugandan political authorities.
He has been less active in politics in recent years and has not disputed the 2021 elections.
However, Besigye returned to the headlines last month after being radically removed during his visit to Kenya and forcibly taken to Uganda.
Detention has aroused generalized conviction and fears of a clandestine intelligence exchange between the two neighbors.
Besigye was then charged with an assistant, Obeid Lotale. Mr. Latale also denied the accusations.
In a historical decision last month, the Supreme Court of Uganda declared that it was unconstitutional for the military courts to try civilians, ordering the transfer of all these cases to civil courts.
This decision made President Museveni angry, who rejected him as “a bad decision” and promised to challenge the decision.
Besigye had various other obstacles with the law.
On Tuesday, the opposition politician was to appear before a civil court for a hearing on a case in 2022 in which he is accused of having held an illegal demonstration. However, he did not attend the hearing, citing health reasons.
In 2005, Besigye was arrested while returning from a political rally before the 2006 presidential elections and accused of betrayal. The accusations were rejected by the courts.
He was also accused of rape in a separate case. The charges were then abandoned. He said that all allegations were part of a political persecution campaign.
Museveni defended the use of military courts to try civilians.
He declared that any crime involving a firearm had been treated before a military court to ensure that the stability of the country as civil courts has taken too long to deal with business.
Opposition parties have often complained about restrictions on political activities, alleging that Museveni fears political competition.
Supporters of Museveni denied allegation and say that he maintained stability during his rules of almost 40 years.