Kampala: Uganda Catholic lawyers have called for the immediate release or lawful prosecution of Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Masaka, describing his arrest and continued detention as unconstitutional and a violation of fundamental human rights.
In a press statement issued on December 14, the Uganda Catholic Lawyers Society (UCLS) condemned what it termed the abduction, enforced disappearance and unlawful detention of the cleric by security operatives.
According to the lawyers, Fr Ssekabira was abducted on December 3, 2025, by armed men travelling in unmarked vehicles, without a warrant, identification or disclosure of the reasons for his arrest, before being held incommunicado in an ungazetted detention facility.
“For ten days, the priest’s whereabouts were concealed, his family, Diocese and lawyers denied access, amounting to an enforced disappearance expressly prohibited under Uganda’s Constitution and international human rights law,” the statement reads.
The lawyers noted that on December 13, the Bishop of Masaka, Rt Rev Serverus Jjumba, informed the faithful of the priest’s disappearance and called for prayers.
A day later, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) confirmed that Fr Ssekabira was in military custody over alleged involvement in violent subversive activities.
UCLS argued that while the UPDF’s acknowledgment ended the period of disappearance, it did not cure the alleged illegality of the arrest or detention. The society said the manner of arrest violated constitutional protections, including the right to personal liberty, freedom from torture, access to legal representation, the right to a fair hearing and the right to habeas corpus.
“The use of unmarked vehicles, non-identified operatives, secret detention facilities and delayed disclosure of custody are hallmarks of unconstitutional security practices that undermine the rule of law,” the lawyers said.
They further criticised the military detention of a civilian, stressing that civilians should not be held in military custody except in narrowly defined circumstances provided for by law.
“Allegations of subversive activities do not suspend constitutional safeguards, and security concerns cannot justify abduction, secrecy or denial of due process,” UCLS stated.
The lawyers called on the UPDF to immediately produce Fr Ssekabira before a competent civilian court, grant him access to lawyers, family and church authorities, and disclose the legal basis and conditions of his detention.
They also urged the Director of Public Prosecutions to urgently review the matter and either lawfully charge the priest in a civilian court or order his immediate release. UCLS appealed to the Judiciary to remain vigilant in protecting personal liberty through remedies such as habeas corpus and called on the Uganda Human Rights Commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention.
Parliament was urged to exercise oversight over security agencies, particularly regarding the continued use of ungazetted detention facilities. “The abduction and secret detention of any Ugandan is not merely an attack on an individual; it is an assault on the Constitution and the rule of law,” the lawyers said.
The UPDF had not formally responded to the lawyers’ demands by press time. However, in an earlier statement, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Col Chris Magezi, said the priest was arrested over allegations of involvement in violent subversive activities.
“Rev. Fr Ssekabira is currently in lawful custody to assist with further investigations into the matter. He will be produced in courts of law and charged accordingly,” Col Magezi said.
Under Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, an arrested person must be produced in court within 48 hours or released on bond.
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