Ugandan human rights defender Maxwell Atuhura and Italian journalist Federica Marsi were arrested on Tuesday 25 May 2021 in Buliisa, in the oil region of Uganda. They were about to meet with local community members to discuss the impacts that Total’s Tilenga oil project had on them. Both were interrogated and were reportedly threatened by police. Ms Marsi was released later in the day, while Maxwell Atuhura spent two nights in custody. Local organisations claim the arrest constitutes an arbitrary and unlawful attempt to silence critical voices and environmental and human rights defenders.