Kenya is classified as a "repressed state" due to human rights violations.

Kenya is classified as a "repressed state" due to human rights violations.

2025 is considered one of the worst years for human rights in Kenya. In its annual report, the Independent Medical-Legal Unit (IMLU) states that Kenya—now classified as a repressive state—witnessed widespread human rights violations by state security forces. Nearly 100 people were victims of extrajudicial killings. The Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR) and other organizations reported the following violations during the protests: At least 19 deaths during the demonstrations on June 25, 2025, according to the KNCHR (update from June 27). 31 deaths during the Saba Saba demonstrations on July 7, 2025, according to the KNCHR (update from July 8). At least 60 protesters killed by June 31, according to a preliminary report by the KNCHR, cited by Human Rights Watch. At least 128 deaths due to excessive use of force by security forces during both waves of protests (June 2024 to July 2025), according to estimates by Amnesty International. 531 injured on June 25, 2025, according to the KNCHR. 107 injured on July 7, 2025, according to the KNCHR. 179 arrests on June 25, 2025, according to the KNCHR. 532 arrests on July 7, 2025, according to the KNCHR. 15 forced abductions on June 25, 2025, according to the KNCHR. Over 83 forced abductions and 3,000 arrests were made during both waves of protests, according to estimates by Amnesty International. Other human rights concerns in 2025: Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also highlighted other critical areas in 2025, including police brutality and impunity. Excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, particularly in low-income areas, and a lack of accountability for security forces remain serious problems. Restrictions on civil society freedom: The CIVICUS Monitor downgraded Kenya's civil society space to "Repressed" in July 2025, the second-worst rating. Digital rights: The systematic use of digital tactics and cybercrime laws to suppress activists and restrict freedom of expression has been documented by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Discrimination: The criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual acts and the lack of enforcement of safeguards against discrimination based on gender, race, or ethnicity continued to be criticized. Hundreds of serious human rights violations were documented, with violence against protesters, enforced disappearances, and the digital suppression of dissent being the most significant challenges in 2025. The IMLU report, released on International Human Rights Day, paints a bleak picture of the year, documenting an alarming increase in state repression and the systematic curtailment of civil society's space for action. To counter this trend, Chief Justice Martha Koome calls for strengthening the rule of law as a means of protecting and promoting human rights. According to IMLU, Kenyans suffered a multitude of human rights violations this year. "Forensic reports document close-range shootings, attacks from behind, and deliberate bodily harm—clear indications of unlawful police conduct and excessive use of force," added Grace Kahuria. @https://www.citizen.digital/article/kenya-ranked-among-repressed-states-over-rights-violations-97-deaths-by-police-reported-this-year-n374283