Human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and continued detention of Sarah Bireete, a prominent Ugandan human rights defender, calling it unconstitutional and emblematic of a broader crackdown on civic space ahead of Uganda’s January 15, 2026 general elections. The Uganda Women’s Movement (UWM) warned that her detention reflects a pattern of arbitrary arrests targeting activists, opposition figures, and government critics during a tense political period.
Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance and chair of major regional and global election monitoring networks, was arrested on December 30, 2025, and detained without charges for more than 48 hours, in violation of constitutional guarantees of due process. Civil society groups argue that such actions undermine the rule of law, intimidate women leaders, and weaken democratic participation during an election cycle.
International concern has grown, with election observer networks warning that her detention threatens the integrity of election monitoring efforts. As public pressure mounts and authorities face scrutiny, rights groups stress that the handling of this case will be a key test of Uganda’s commitment to constitutionalism, human rights, and credible elections.