Ugandan authorities on Friday charged prominent human rights lawyer Sarah Bireete with unlawful obtaining or disclosure of personal data, according to a charge sheet filed at Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court in Kampala.
Bireete, the executive director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, was charged under Sections 35 (1) and (2) of Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act.
According to the police charge sheet dated Jan. 2, 2026, prosecutors allege that between January and December 2025, Bireete and others still at large unlawfully obtained or disclosed national voter information controlled or processed by the Electoral Commission of Uganda, without the commission’s consent.
The alleged acts are said to have occurred in various locations including Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts.
The charge sheet states that the data in question related to information from the National Voters Register.
Bireete was earlier arrested from her home in Kampala and held at Nateete Police Station before being produced in court.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission said earlier this week that it had verified her detention, confirmed that she had access to her lawyers and that she had recorded a statement with police.
The charges come days after the Electoral Commission issued a public warning against the sharing of personal voter information on social media.
In a statement, the commission said complaints about the National Voters Register should be submitted directly to its offices and cautioned that publishing individuals’ photographs or personal details without consent violates data protection and privacy laws.
“The Commission urges all stakeholders to refrain from sharing individuals’ personal voter information on social media without his or her consent, as this violates privacy laws,” EC chairperson Simon Byabakama said.
Bireete is a well-known lawyer, election observer and regular television and radio panelist who has been outspoken on constitutional governance, electoral transparency and civil liberties.
Her arrest and prosecution have sparked debate among lawyers, civil society groups and political actors, with some questioning the timing of the case as Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections.
