Turkey frees Ugandan blogger and Museveni critic

Turkish authorities have released Ugandan blogger and opposition activist Fred Lumbuye after he was detained in early August.

Mr Lumbuye was being held at the Kocaeli Foreigners Detention Centre on charges of an expired visa and overstaying in the country, according to reports.

His release was confirmed by Uganda’s opposition National Unity Platform party in a tweet:

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“I have talked to him, and he is at his home in Istanbul, Turkey,” opposition MP Muwadda Nkunyingi is quoted as saying by Uganda’s Monitor news site.

He added that the charges against the blogger will continue to be pursued.

Back in Uganda the blogger is being investigated on various charges, including spreading harmful propaganda, after he allegedly spread reports that President Yoweri Museveni had died.

President Museveni, 76, won re-election in January and has been in power since 1986.