Charges Dropped Against Nine Ugandan Student Climate Activists for Protesting Planned Oil Pipeline
KAMPALA, UGANDA (November 7, 2023) – Yesterday, a Kampala court dropped charges against nine student climate activists who were detained last year for protesting a planned crude oil pipeline that would connect Uganda’s landlocked oil fields to the eastern coast of Tanzania.
The government failed to produce any witnesses or evidence to substantiate the charges of “common nuisance” against the nine students, despite opportunities to do so at several court hearings. The judge dismissed all the charges for “want of prosecution” and restored all rights, privileges, and freedom to the nine activists.
The controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline, known as EACOP, would extend for 1,433 km and move over 230,000 oil barrels each day. The proposed pipeline has experienced strong opposition over human rights and environmental concerns, sparking protests from Kampala to Paris. The project could displace more than 100,000 people and lock in dangerous climate emissions for years to come.
On October 4, 2022, the nine student activists – along with more than 40 other protestors – took part in a march to the European Commission offices in Kampala, where they planned to deliver a petition in support of a European Parliament resolution relating to the proposed pipeline. Ugandan police refused their entry, and then arrested and charged the nine activists. The prosecution claimed the students blocked walkways and inconvenienced the public by their behavior.
The nine students were represented yesterday in court by Ugandan criminal defense lawyers acting at the request of Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef), a legal non-profit organization that defends climate defenders worldwide.
Alfred Brownell, Founding President of CliDef, said, “These brave students, simply because they peacefully protested a destructive pipeline, had their lives upended for more than a year. We are grateful their ordeal is over and see this as a tremendous victory for nonviolent activism that seeks to address the climate emergency. These student climate activists are our first climate responders, and are acting as a firewall in response to the climate crisis.”
The French company, TotalEnergies, is the lead developer and majority stakeholder of EACOP, whose investment in the pipeline has been estimated to be $3.5 billion USD. In March, protesters at TotalEnergies’ annual meeting in Paris faced tear gas and multiple arrests. CliDef is also supporting a local legal organization, who is defending four climate activists that were charged with two serious offenses.
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