On August 1st, a group of twelve Ugandan activists staged a peaceful demonstration at a branch of Stanbic Bank. Their protest was aimed at highlighting the bank’s financial ties to the EACOP project—a massive fossil fuel infrastructure development with documented risks to local communities, biodiversity, and the global climate.
The protest was non-violent and well within the boundaries of the law. Despite this, the activists were arrested and have remained in detention for weeks. Their prolonged incarceration without trial raises serious legal and constitutional questions, pointing towards a tactic of intimidation designed to silence climate advocates.
Where the Three Women Need Justice ⚖️: A Gendered Dimension to Injustice
Among the twelve detained are three courageous female activists whose voices are being forcibly silenced. Their prolonged detention carries a specific and heavy burden. Women often face unique risks and heightened vulnerabilities in detention, including greater barriers to accessing legal resources and health services.
LPI emphasizes that the pursuit of justice for the #12StopEacop activists is incomplete without specific attention to the plight of these three women. Their right to a fair and speedy trial, their safety and well-being in detention, and their freedom to continue their advocacy must be prioritized. Justice for the #12StopEacop must explicitly mean justice for its female members.