ProtectDefenders.eu has been informed by its Consortium partner DefendDefenders about the escalating climate of violence affecting Kenya since June 18, 2024. Since that day, Kenya has experienced significant unrest following the introduction of a highly controversial proposed tax bill. The bill raised numerous troubling matters, threatening socioeconomic equality and violating individual privacy by granting the Kenyan Revenue Authority unrestricted access to financial records without a warrant.
The situation escalated on June 18, when over 300 citizens, including human rights defenders and journalists, were arrested during peaceful protests. Security forces used excessive force, deploying tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and even live ammunition, infringing on constitutional rights and international human rights treaties Kenya has ratified, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Conventions against Torture and enforced disappearances
By June 20, demonstrations spread across 19 counties, resulting in a considerable number of arrests and injuries due to the unproportionate and unnecessary deployment of violence by state authorities. As reported by our Consortium partner OMCT, the KenyaNational Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG-K) have documented 23 deaths, 34 forcedly disappeared, and 164 arrests, including those further released and close to 67 people with injuries since 18 June. Abductions and arbitrary arrests, including those of doctors and lawyers, were reported, with some victims taken from their homes in the early hours and held in unofficial detention centres. This was the case with John Frank Githiaka, Gabriel Ogunda, Kasamuel McOure, and many other peaceful protesters who were abducted from their houses and consequently released without charges during the month of June. Tragically, Rex Kanyike Masai was reportedly killed by an officer in plain clothes during these protests. Repression and control of mass media were also reported. In fact, KTN faced shutdown threats and internet access was disrupted, with social media platforms such as X being restricted. These facts highlight severe breaches of human rights, including the right to life and peaceful assembly.
This is not the first episode where the rights to peaceful protest, freedom of expression and assembly are severely violated in Kenya. In fact, enforced disappearances and excessive use of force during arrests or the policing of demonstrations have long been documented in the country. DefendDefenders had already reported in July 2023 about the violent repression of the Saba Saba nationwide demonstrations, which resulted in the arbitrary arrests of 75 human rights defenders. Despite having enacted the Prevention of Torture Act and the National Coroners Service Act in 2017, the government has still not operationalised them, leading to rampant impunity of perpetrators of torture and extrajudicial killings with no policemen prosecuted in 10 years. Unfortunately, since then, cases of torture have increased by 296% over the previous three years.
