A Ugandan court on Thursday freed on bail 36 members of an opposition party charged with terrorism, their lawyer said.
The members of the Forum for Democratic Change party (FDC), one of Uganda's biggest opposition parties, have been in police custody since July when they were deported from neighbouring Kenya.
The International Crimes Division of the High Court ruled that the suspects would be freed after posting cash bail of 5 million Ugandan shillings ($1,400) each, lawyer Erias Lukwago told AFP.
"This is a big relief because some of them had medical conditions arising out of the poor conditions in the prison," he said.
Surrender passports
The FDC members were arrested in the Kenyan lakeside city of Kisumu where they had travelled to attend a training course.
They were ordered to surrender their passports to the court as part of their bail conditions.
Opposition parties in Uganda have been kept on a tight rein under President Yoweri Museveni who has ruled the East African nation since 1986.
A military tribunal last week convicted 16 members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party to five years in prison on charges o f treachery and illegal possession of explosive devices.
According to the prosecution, they were found in possession of explosives between November 2020 and May 2021, while elections were under way.
They had all pleaded guilty to the charges but NUP leader Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, claimed they had been forced to enter that plea and seek a presidential pardon.
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