A section of environment activists in Uganda have asked the state to unconditionally release a group of students who were arrested for holding a peaceful demonstration in support of the recent European Union resolution calling for the delay of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).

Under their National Association Of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) have asked the Uganda government and the oil companies to address the issues raised by the EU instead of continuing to intimidate and arrest people for talking about EACOP and other oil development projects in Uganda.

Nine students from various universities across the country were on Wednesday remanded to Luzira prison on allegations that they participated in an illegal demonstration.

The EU Parliament resolution seeks to delay the construction of the EACOP citing human rights abuse and environmental degradation concerns.