Myanmar releases Ugandan trafficking victim as 20 others await repatriation

Myanmar authorities released Felix Adupe, a Ugandan national who was trafficked into the country and detained in a facility linked to forced online scam operations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare announced the release on November 5, 2026. Authorities handed Adupe over to Edan, a non-governmental organisation that provides medical assistance and temporary safe custody.

Ayebare stated that Adupe and 20 other detained Ugandans are expected to be formally handed over to Betty Bigombe, the Ugandan Ambassador to Malaysia who is also accredited to Myanmar. The handover is scheduled to take place in Yangon the week following the announcement. Government spokesperson Allan Kasujja confirmed that officials are coordinating the return of all 21 Ugandans, whom they described as victims of human trafficking who were deceived by promises of lucrative employment.

Adupe, a Biosystems Engineering graduate from Gulu University, was reportedly lured abroad by fraudulent recruitment. His case reflects a wider crisis where criminal networks use social media to trick jobseekers into participating in cryptocurrency scams and other fraudulent schemes. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates that at least 120,000 people in Myanmar may be forced to participate in these online scam operations.