Human rights and pro-democracy activist Dr Sarah Bireete was produced before Buganda Road Court in Kampala on Friday, 2 January 2026, facing charges of “unlawfully obtaining and sharing personal data” of registered voters.
The charge sheet alleges that between January and December 2025, Dr Bireete and others “still at large” accessed and disclosed National Voter Information without the consent of the Electoral Commission. The case is registered under Ref: CPS K’LA CRB 003/2026 and was sanctioned at Kampala Metropolitan Police Headquarters on 2 January.
Dr Bireete, who serves as Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), was arrested on 30 December 2025 following a joint police and military operation at her Kampala residence.
The Centre described the arrest as “blatantly illegal,” noting that she had been held at Nateete Police Station for more than 48 hours without official disclosure of charges or access to family and lawyers.
In a statement, the CCG board criticised the manner of her arrest and detention: “The regime police continue to hold her in illegal custody… It is against Article 23 (3) of the Constitution, which guarantees that a person arrested must be informed immediately of the reasons and of their right to a lawyer,” the statement read.
The board also condemned the unauthorised search of Dr Bireete’s home, which included confiscation of her teenage children’s phones: “It is inconceivable that a professional police force would invest in acts that traumatise two young school-going Ugandans, who have not been alleged to aid or abet any offence,” the CCG statement said.
Legal experts note that under Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act, Cap 97, Section 35, individuals found guilty of unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data can face fines of up to 245 currency points (approximately UGX 4.8 million), imprisonment for up to ten years, or both. Corporate offenders may face fines of up to 2% of annual gross turnover.
Dr Bireete has been a vocal critic of government internet controls ahead of the January 15, 2026, general elections, publicly encouraging the use of alternative satellite internet services to circumvent potential shutdowns. Advocates and civil society groups have condemned the arrest, warning that it could undermine democratic freedoms in Uganda.
“Sarah’s only weapon against injustice and current democratic reversals in Uganda and the region is her pen and voice,” the CCG board said. “A regime that fears its people is a danger to both itself and the people it purports to govern.”
The Uganda Law Society, led by President Isaac Semakade and Vice President Anthony Asiimwe, also pledged legal support to Dr Bireete, while international partners and digital rights activists have expressed solidarity.
