NUP defends plea bargains by detained supporters amid prolonged detentions
NUP stressed that such decisions should not be interpreted as admissions of guilt but rather as legal choices made under difficult circumstances.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has defended supporters who have opted to enter plea bargains or plead guilty to criminal charges, saying the decisions are driven by prolonged detention and repeated denial of bail rather than admissions of guilt.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the opposition party said more than 150 of its supporters remain in detention on what it described as “trumped-up charges,” with some having spent years in prison awaiting trial.
The party said its legal teams have continued to pursue all available legal avenues to secure the release of the detainees, noting that hundreds of supporters who were arrested during and after the recent general elections have already been released.
However, NUP said repeated bail denials and recent remarks by President Yoweri Museveni urging judicial officers not to grant bail to some suspects had left many detainees with few options.
According to the party, some of its supporters have chosen to enter plea bargains or plead guilty to offences they maintain they did not commit as the quickest way to regain their freedom after lengthy periods of detention without trial.
NUP stressed that such decisions should not be interpreted as admissions of guilt but rather as legal choices made under difficult circumstances.
“Our position remains that while we never encourage anyone to incriminate themselves, we never judge those who, being weighed down by the numerous challenges that come with illegal detention, choose to plead guilty and come out of jail,” the statement said.
The party added that plea bargaining is a lawful judicial process and urged its supporters and the public to understand the circumstances under which some detainees have chosen that route.
At the same time, NUP praised supporters who continue to maintain their innocence and remain in detention while pursuing full trials, describing them as “heroes” who deserve recognition and support.
The statement comes amid continued concerns by opposition parties and human rights organisations over the prolonged detention of political activists and the use of pre-trial detention in politically sensitive cases.
The government has consistently maintained that all suspects are prosecuted in accordance with the law and that the courts operate independently.
