Human Rights Organizations Unveil Scathing Report on Police Abuse During OccupyProtests
From Left to Right: IMLU - Independent Medico-Legal Unit Executive Director Wangechi Kahuria, Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton, Mwaura Kabata LSK and Catherine Mbui Civic Space advocate.
By Aoma Keziah,
A coalition of human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya, Defenders Coalition, Article 19, Medics for Kenya, and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), has released findings from a three-month investigation into the police response during the OccupyProtest demonstrations in Nairobi on June 25, 2024. The report, titled “End Police Use of Unlawful Force: Time for Accountability and Justice,” documents widespread police brutality against demonstrators, primarily targeting Gen Z protesters who had gathered to oppose the passage of the Finance Bill 2024.
The investigation, based on interviews with 23 eyewitnesses, lawyers, and medical professionals, as well as an analysis of over 45 videos and 100 photographs, reveals how Kenyan police officers unleashed unlawful force, leading to the deaths of at least six people and injuring hundreds.
“Despite repeated calls for accountability, no response has been received from government agencies, including the Ministry of Interior, the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, and the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA), who were formally notified of the findings.” Said Irüngü Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya.
Irungu further stated that use of unnecessary and excessive force against protestors, led to killing and injury of hundreds of people.
“The right to protest in Kenya is protected under the constitution. It is unacceptable that, rather than facilitating and protecting protesters, police resorted to using deadly force.” He stated.
The June 25 protest, a pivotal moment in Kenya’s recent history, saw demonstrators storm parliament a critical infrastructure site for the first time in a nationwide protest against increased taxes in the Finance Bill.
They continued to say that the peaceful protest turned violent when police used excessive and unnecessary force, including tear gas, water cannons, batons, and live ammunition, in clear violation of international human rights laws and standards.
They claimed a video footage evidence shows police firing tear gas at protesters, bystanders, and even medical personnel, further aggravating the violence.
The report highlights egregious human rights violations, including the unlawful use of lethal firearms and the failure to provide medical assistance to those injured. Apart from isolated incidents where some protesters threw stones or returned tear gas canisters at the police, the protest remained largely peaceful.
They Call for Accountability and Justice, for the release of the findings coincides with a petition signed by over 12,000 people, calling for the formation of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the police killings and injuries sustained during the protests, despite the weight of evidence, the Kenyan government has yet to act on the demands for accountability.
The report underscores the urgent need for reform in the Kenyan police service, citing a persistent culture of impunity and lack of accountability. The findings point to a systematic failure by law enforcement to uphold the UN Basic Principles on the use of force and firearms by Law Enforcement officials, as well as the United Nations human rights guidance on less lethal weapons in law enforcement.
June 25, 2024, became a landmark date for the protest movement in Kenya, with citizens across the country standing up against regressive economic policies and the high cost of living. However, the violent crackdown on demonstrators has cast a dark shadow over the right to peaceful assembly in Kenya. The findings, released exactly three months after the storming of parliament, serve as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who exercise their democratic right to protest.
The six organizations behind the report have reiterated their calls for the Kenyan government to hold those responsible for the deaths and injuries accountable. The report not only condemns the police’s actions but also urges the state to implement systemic reforms to prevent the recurrence of such abuses in future protests.
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