By The Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has strongly denied allegations of inhumane treatment of opposition leader Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye at Luzira Upper Maximum Security Prison, following public remarks made by his wife, Winnie Byanyima, on Thursday.
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Byanyima, a prominent diplomat and former politician, raised alarm over what she described as degrading conditions her husband is allegedly enduring while on remand, including bed bug infestation and isolation. She claimed that the prison environment amounted to psychological torture and urged authorities to ensure his humane treatment.
In a press release issued on Friday, Uganda Prison Services spokesperson Senior Commissioner of Prisons Frank Baine Mayanja dismissed the allegations as “false and baseless.”
“The claim that the facility is infested with bed bugs used as a torture tool against him is grossly false,” Baine stated. “Also, the assertion that he shares a ward with 15 others and yet is in permanent isolation is contradictory.”
UPS described the claims as “misinformation and disinformation” and called on the public to disregard them.
The statement emphasized that UPS is a professional institution that manages all prisoners by the laws of Uganda and international guidelines such as the Nelson Mandela Rules, which set global standards for the treatment of prisoners.
Dr. Besigye, a long-time government critic and former presidential candidate, is currently detained at Luzira pending the outcome of legal proceedings. His arrest and continued detention have reignited debate over political freedoms and prison conditions in the country.
Byanyima, who currently serves as Executive Director of UNAIDS, has been a vocal advocate for Besigye’s release and previously criticized the Ugandan justice system over his treatment.
