Uganda: Italian journalist and local human rights defender arrested while investigating impact of Total’s oil project on local communities
'Uganda: Arrest of an Italian journalist and a human rights defender mobilized against Total’s oil projects', 26 May 2021
Maxwell Atuhura, a member of AFIEGO - partner organization of Friends of the Earth France and Survie and member of the international Stop EACOP alliance- and an 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. While the journalist was released later in the day, Maxwell Atuhura spent the night in custody and is still being detained by the Ugandan police. At around 3:00 p.m. (East African time), Maxwell Atuhura and Federica Marsi were arrested by Ugandan authorities while having lunch in a hotel in Buliisa. They were taken to the police station without being given any reason for their arrests. Both were interrogated and received threats against their lives and safety. The police also reportedly asked Maxwell “why he was working against Total with foreigners?”. This morning, Wednesday 26 May, he is still in custody and is reportedly being transferred to an unknown location...