Myanmar frees Ugandan trafficking victim as 20 others await return

What the report says

Myanmar authorities have released a Ugandan national, Felix Adupe, who had reportedly been trafficked into the country and held in a facility linked to online scam operations, according to The Independent Uganda. Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Adonia Ayebare, said the release took place on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. local time. Adupe was then transferred to Edan, a non-governmental organisation that provides medical support and temporary shelter.

Ayebare said Adupe is among Ugandans believed to have been deceived by false job offers and later forced into criminal online work. He added that 20 other detained Ugandans were expected to be handed over to Uganda’s ambassador to Malaysia, Betty Bigombe, in Yangon the following week, after which return travel would be arranged. Government spokesperson Allan Kasujja also confirmed coordination for the return of the 21 Ugandans.

The report places the case within Uganda’s wider efforts to repatriate citizens trapped in scam compounds in Southeast Asia, where trafficking victims are often recruited through fraudulent employment promises. It also notes that similar returns have happened before, including through diplomatic work involving Uganda, Myanmar and regional partners. The story says the case highlights the risks facing young Ugandans seeking work abroad and the continuing challenge of cross-border trafficking tied to forced online fraud.