Several human rights defenders were arrested in Kenya

Several human rights defenders were arrested in Kenya in connection with the demonstrations on June 25, 2025, the anniversary of the protests against the 2024 Finance Bill. This arrest took place in Machakos County and was unlawful. However, human rights organizations strongly dispute the police narrative, stressing that these arrests are attempts to criminalize peaceful protests and silence dissent. The Police Reform Task Force and other civil society organizations have called for their immediate and unconditional release and condemned the ongoing intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders in Kenya. Those arrested include John Mulingwa Nzau (aka Garang), Mark Amiani (aka Generali), and Francis Mwangi (aka Chebukati), all known for their peaceful human rights work. Let's take a closer look at these three human rights defenders: - John Mulingwa Nzau is a well-known Kenyan human rights defender and community organizer who has been known for his work against social and human rights violations since the age of 17. He is a member of several social justice groups, including the Social Justice Centres Working Group, Bunge la Wananchi, and the Kongamano La Mageuzi movement. Nzau is actively involved in documenting and speaking out against extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other serious human rights violations, primarily committed by security agencies. He is also the co-chair of the social movement Kenyans For Tax Justice (KfTJ), which underscores his comprehensive commitment to social and economic justice. - Mark Amiani is a well-known human rights defender from Kisumu, Kenya. He is dedicated both professionally and privately to protecting civil and political liberties, with a particular focus on monitoring police abuses of power and demanding accountability. He is committed to social justice through his involvement in groups such as the Social Justice Centers Working Group and the Kongamano la Mageuzi movement. His activism often involves significant personal risk and aims to empower marginalized people and hold authorities accountable. Mark Amiani is also affiliated with the Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), a civil society organization that promotes good governance and accountability in Kenya. - Francis Mwangi, alias Chebukati, is being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and accuses Francis Mwangi, alias Chebukati, and the others of using social media and coordinated networks to incite violence and chaos during these protests. They are being investigated for several offenses, including arson, theft, burglary, criminal damage, and incitement to violence. They remain in custody pending investigations. The court has remanded them in custody pending a decision on their detention and bail. Francis Mwangi is an activist who participated in the June 2025 protests and the subsequent court proceedings. Human rights groups have condemned the arrests of human rights defenders such as Nzau, Amiani, and Mwangi as arbitrary and unlawful. They argue that the state is using the protests as a pretext to criminalize peaceful resistance and silence activists. However, police and prosecutors claim that the activists were involved in criminal activities during the protests and are seeking to keep them in pretrial detention for up to 21 days, citing the need to analyze seized electronic devices allegedly used to plan protest routes. The arrested human rights defenders remain in custody while the courts consider bail and further detention. The public and civil society are calling for their release and the protection of civic space in Kenya.