Human rights advocate and governance expert Dr. Sarah Bireete has been remanded to Luzira Prison following her appearance before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of unlawfully accessing and disclosing personal voter data.
Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), is accused of contravening provisions of the Data Protection and Privacy Act through the alleged unauthorized access and use of information from Uganda’s National Voters Register.
The prosecution alleges that between January and December 2025, Bireete, together with others still at large, accessed or shared voters’ personal data without authorization from the Electoral Commission, the institution legally mandated to manage and safeguard the national register.
Grade One Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko read the charges to the accused, to which Bireete pleaded not guilty. She denied any involvement in the alleged offences and maintained that the accusations were unfounded.
Citing ongoing investigations, the court ordered that Bireete be remanded until January 21, 2026, when the matter is expected to return for further mention.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences occurred across several districts, including Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono.
Authorities claim the data may have been accessed or shared for purposes that are still under investigation, raising concerns about the security and ethical handling of sensitive voter information.
Bireete’s arrest late last month has drawn strong reactions from civil society organisations and human rights defenders, many of whom view the case as part of a broader pattern of shrinking civic space, particularly as Uganda approaches another general election.
She has long been a prominent voice on governance, transparency and electoral accountability, and her prosecution has intensified debate around the relationship between state institutions and independent civil actors.
Legal observers say the case could set an important precedent on the enforcement of data protection laws, especially as digital access to electoral information becomes more widespread.
Bireete’s legal team is expected to apply for bail in the coming days as the case continues to attract national attention.
