KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) – Uganda filed new charges of terrorism and illegal firearms possession against the country’s jailed opposition leader Thursday in a military court controlled by the president’s trusted aides.

Opposition leader Kizza Besigye believes the charges, which carry the death penalty, are baseless and he refused to answer them at a closed military court session, defense lawyer Sam Njuba told The Associated Press. The head of the court entered a not guilty plea on Besigye’s behalf.

The military charges came as Besigye was expected to appear before Uganda’s civilian High Court for a bail hearing that might have set him free on the civilian charges. The government did not specify why it was accusing Besigye of terrorism.

“These people hijacked my client, who was due to appear at the High Court this morning, and decided to take him to a military court,” defense lawyer Yusuf Nsibambi told reporters.

Nine days ago, civilian prosecutors charged Besigye with treason, concealment of treason and a 1997 rape, sparking two days of protests and rioting in which at least one person was shot to death. Armed troops and police patrolled the streets of Uganda’s capital in armored personnel carriers Thursday.

President Yoweri Museveni has been hailed as a reformer but his recent crackdown on Besigye and his supporters has brought criticism from international allies and human rights organizations.

The government this week banned the media from editorial comments on all court cases. And troops prevented European Union and other Western diplomats from observing the military court proceedings, arguing that they needed special permits, Danish Ambassador Stig Barlyng told reporters after the hearing.

“The Ugandan government has seriously damaged its human rights reputation by riding roughshod over the rights of political opponents and the courts,” said Jemera Rone of Human Rights Watch.

Besigye was greeted by huge crowds when he returned from exile in South Africa last month and he has mounted the strongest-ever challenge to Museveni’s 19-year rule.

He has denied government accusations that he led the People’s Redemption Army, a group of armed Ugandan dissidents based in neighboring Congo, and had links with separate rebels of the cult-like Lord’s Resistance Army.

Uganda’s military courts are authorized to handle weapons cases and offenses committed by military members. Besigye is a former Army colonel.

Armed soldiers surrounded the High Court last week shortly after Besigye applied for bail, causing the original judge in the case to withdraw for his own safety.

Besigye was taken from military court Thursday to a second bail hearing at the High Court, where troops were deployed again, apparently prepared to re-arrest Besigye if he was granted bail.

The judge delayed proceedings until Friday to give lawyers more time to prepare. Besigye is also due to appear at the military court Friday.