Human rights defender Agather Atuhaire, who was abducted in Tanzania, dumped near Uganda’s Mutukula Border

A Ugandan journalist and human rights lawyer Agather Atuhaire, who had been missing for days after her arrest in Tanzania, has been found and is safe.

Her family confirmed she was dumped at night in Mutukula on Uganda-Tanzania border on Thursday. Her friends, too said they had talked to her and she was on her way home.

Human rights activist Nicholas Opiyo too confirmed Friday he had talked to her.

“Agather is on her way home. She was dumped at the Mutukula Boda last night – we spoke a little while ago,” he said.

Godwin Toko, deputy team leader at Agora, posted on X Friday morning: “Finally, Agather has been found and I have talked to her via her sister’s phone right now. She was picked from the border.”

It is not clear how she is in terms of health. There were claims she was also tortured while in captivity. She has been missing since Monday when she and Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi were detained in Tanzania.

She had been missing since Monday, when she flew to the East African nation to attend the court hearing of opposition figure Tundu Lissu.

The move caused concerns among many regionally amid planned protests.

The Ugandan High Commission in Tanzania requested permission from Dar es Salaam police to visit Atuhaire. This is believed to have prompted the move to deport her,

She was arrested earlier this week alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi while attending various engagements

Mwangi said he and the Ugandan were tortured while in captivity.

They had flown to Tanzania but were deported by road.

The incident has caused uproar among the civil societies, who say human rights are universal and should be respected.

The Kenyan group plans to sue Uganda for the actions.