Ugandan authorities have once again intensified their repression of activists protesting the oil mega-projects that are being developed in the country’s Lake Albert region. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has documented at least 81 arrests and detentions having taken place since May 2024, 72 of which in August alone.

... FIDH has received multiple reports of judicial and moral harassment, threats and intimidation targeting activists working on these projects, including one case of torture and incommunicado detention... On 26 August, 21 activists were arrested in Kampala as they were marching towards the Parliament and the head offices of TotalEnergies and CNOOC to hand in a petition against EACOP. One of them was released, while the 20 others were remanded to prison until 5 September and are still detained. On 9 August, 47 students peacefully protesting in the capital were arrested by police officers before being released the next day. On 5 August, three Ugandan activists and one Belgian activist were arrested while trying to reach the Chinese Embassy, and then released.