The Uganda Police Force has confirmed the arrest of Dr Sarah Bireete, a lawyer and human rights defender, following a security operation at her residence on Tuesday.
In a statement posted on X, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said Dr Bireete, who is the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), is currently in police custody and will be arraigned before court “in due course.”
“The Uganda Police Force would like to confirm the arrest of Sarah Bireete, director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance. She is in police custody. She will be arraigned before the court in due course,” Kawala said.
Earlier, Dr Bireete had posted on her social media account that her house was surrounded by security personnel. “My house is under siege by Police and Army,” she wrote, raising concern among civil society actors and supporters.
By press time, police had not disclosed the charges leading to her arrest or the circumstances surrounding the deployment of both police and military personnel at her residence.
Dr Bireete is a prominent governance and human rights advocate. She also serves as Chairperson of the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (EHORN) and Chairperson of the Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM).
The arrest has already drawn attention on social media, with activists and legal practitioners calling for transparency and due process. Police say further details will be communicated as investigations progress.
