Kampala, Uganda – A prominent human rights lawyer and governance expert, Dr. Sarah Bireete, has been remanded to Luzira Prison following her arraignment on charges of unlawfully accessing and sharing personal voter information without authorization from the relevant electoral authority. 0

Dr. Bireete, who directs a constitutional governance organisation, appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on January 2, 2026. During the hearing, the presiding magistrate formally read a charge sheet alleging that between January and December 2025 she, together with others not yet in custody, accessed or disseminated data from the National Voters’ Register without permission. 1

The accused lawyer denied all allegations, entering a plea of not guilty when asked by the court. Despite her denial, the magistrate ordered that she remain in detention at Luzira Prison until her next hearing, which has been set for January 21, 2026, to allow prosecutors time to respond to a pending bail application. 2

According to the prosecution, the alleged offences occurred across multiple districts, including Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso, and involve information that is legally protected under the national Data Protection and Privacy Act. It is claimed that the data in question forms part of the electoral roll managed by the Electoral Commission and that its unauthorized access or disclosure may contravene statutory provisions governing personal data. 3

The arrest and remand of Dr. Bireete — a high‑profile civil society leader — has ignited discussion among rights advocates and governance watchers about data privacy, civic space and the state’s approach to election monitoring activities in the run‑up to the country’s general elections scheduled for January 15, 2026. 4