Defending Freedom in a Season of Fear

The year kicked off with the chilling reminder of the shrinking space for dissent in Kenya. Even before January gathered pace, reports of enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests began to circulate. It was a stark signal: those who speak truth to power, whether on the streets or on X, remain targets of intimidation.

Amnesty International Kenya moved swiftly. When Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Justus Mtumwa, Martin Mwau, Kalani Mwema, and Steven Kavingo were abducted, and Gabriel Supeet and Naomi (@Jaber_totoo) were arrested, we mobilised our rapid response mechanisms. We joined the Law Society of Kenya and others in urgent court applications, documented violations, amplified citizen alerts, and kept the public informed.

After three relentless weeks of sustained legal pressure, public advocacy, and peaceful protests, Billy, Peter, and Bernard were eventually found alive, disoriented, abandoned kilometres from their homes or the sites of their abduction. Their return was a testament to collective insistence that no Kenyan should vanish without a trace. Sadly, we were horrified by the discovery of the bodies of Justus Mtumwa and Martin Mwau at the Nairobi Funeral Home.

But even as we pushed for their release, another crisis unfolded within our borders. On a quiet Sunday afternoon in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighbourhood, prominent Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai was violently seized by four assailants; manhandled, choked, shoved into a vehicle, and driven toward what we believe was the Kenya–Tanzania border, mirroring the abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi just months earlier. It was yet another brazen act of transnational repression carried out in broad daylight.

Within minutes of receiving the alert, Amnesty Kenya activated its emergency response. We launched immediate online action, contacted diplomatic partners, and demanded her safe return. The pressure worked. Within hours, Maria was released. We received her, ensured her safety, and connected her to urgent psychosocial support.

Kalani Mwema and Stephen Kavingo’s whereabouts still remain a mystery.

These early days of 2025 underscored a truth we know too well: when rights are attacked, resistance must be immediate, organised, and unafraid.

On the 2017 post-election violence, we continued to pursue justice for Baby Samantha Pendo and more than 60 other victims and survivors of the Kisumu operations. The journey has been fraught with obstacles. In February 2025, the Court of Appeal issued a stay on plea-taking for senior police officers charged with Baby Pendo’s killing, following claims by the National Police Service and the accused that entering pleas would lead to automatic interdiction. The ODPP and IPOA opposed these attempts, but the result was yet another deferment. In March 2025, the case took another troubling turn. The ODPP dropped charges against eight of the twelve commanders and officers initially implicated. Only four officers eventually took plea before the High Court, facing charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and torture. To make matters worse, the amended charge sheet was altered without IPOA’s involvement, omitting senior commanders who bore overall responsibility for the Kisumu operations. Equally alarming was the public release of the charge sheet containing the names of victims and witnesses, exposing them to possible harm. The High Court later issued bail conditions barring the accused from entering specific Kisumu estates, Nyalenda, Nyamasaria, Nyawita, Obunga, and Kondele, and ordered the removal of victims’ names from the charge sheet. In September 2025, the Court finally affirmed that the trial must be held in Kisumu, close to survivors, witnesses, and the scenes of the crimes. While this is an important step forward, the broader issue remains: three years since filing, the case has not yet reached trial. Constant adjournments, shifting judges, ten new defence applications, and the DPP’s decision to drop charges have deepened survivors’ fears that justice is being deliberately derailed. Our concern is further compounded by the continued failure to enforce the arrest warrant against Officer Mohamed Baa, who has evaded court for nearly three years. By refusing to allow public display of his photo and failing to secure his arrest, state agencies have undermined survivors’ trust in the justice system. Justice for Baby Pendo demands urgent action: the National Police Service must enforce the warrant, the Judiciary must set firm trial timelines, and the ODPP, IPOA, and Witness Protection Agency must guarantee the safety and participation of victims and witnesses as the trial moves to Kisumu.

The inquest into the murder of Rex Kanyike Masai, the first casualty of the 2024 Gen Z protests, also commenced in May. Protesters, police officers, and ballistic experts have testified, with civil society maintaining public pressure to ensure transparency and accountability.

In the Ahmed Rashid case, progress has been obstructed by prosecution witnesses repeatedly failing to appear, leading the court to hold them in contempt. Instead of jail time or fines, the court issued a symbolic sentence requiring them to publicly distribute food and hygiene items to remandees, an unusual remedy that raised serious concerns about the seriousness with which extrajudicial killing cases are treated.

There were, however, rays of hope. The Court acquitted Suleiman and Martin, two young men from Mukuru kwa Njenga, falsely charged with robbery with violence and offensive conduct. Their charges stemmed from the 2021 Mukuru demolitions, widely viewed as forced evictions carried out without consultation or notice and allegedly enforced through police-developer collusion. The failure of prosecution witnesses to appear exposed the fabricated nature of the accusations and reinforced what residents had long argued: these youths were targeted for standing up against unlawful evictions that trampled on the rights to housing, livelihood, and dignity.

When the State Criminalises Dissent

This year also saw a troubling rise in arbitrary arrests, a reminder that the struggle for freedom of expression and civic participation in Kenya remains far from over. Time and again, ordinary citizens, creatives, technologists, and activists found themselves targeted not for breaking the law, but for daring to question power.

In May, we condemned the arrest of independent film producers Nicholas Gichuki, Brian Adagala, Mark Karubiu, and Chris Wamae, alongside the seizure of their equipment, after they were accused of involvement in the BBC’s Blood Parliament documentary. That this crackdown occurred on the eve of World Press Freedom Day was not only ironic, but it was also alarming. These arrests violated the rights to expression (Article 33), freedom of the media (Article 34), and the protections enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the ICCPR.

Even more troubling was that the arrests came only two days after the Attorney-General, speaking before the Human Rights Council in Geneva, had reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to uphold human rights during Kenya’s Universal Periodic Review. The four producers were later released on free bond, and we continue to accompany them through the legal process as they fight to clear their names.

But not every arbitrary arrest ended in freedom. One ended in death.

In June, Kenya mourned Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody at the Central Police Station in Nairobi. Albert had been arrested in Homa Bay for allegedly sharing “false information” about a senior police official on social media. Within days, he was dead. The police attempted to claim suicide. An autopsy told the truth: severe head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue trauma, clear signs of torture.

Outrage spread across the country under the hashtag #JusticeForAlbertOjwang, demanding accountability. Six officers, including the OCS Samson Talaam, were later charged with murder. They pleaded not guilty and were denied bail. The case remains active in court, and we continue to monitor it closely.

We condemned Albert’s killing in the strongest terms. No Kenyan should lose their life in police custody. To be detained by the State should never be a death sentence. Police officers carry not only legal authority, but a profound moral duty: to protect the lives and dignity of every person in their care.

From filmmakers to coders to everyday citizens, these arrests remind us that dissent is not a crime. And as long as arbitrary arrests continue, so will our resolve to challenge them—fearlessly, publicly, and with unwavering solidarity.

Another case that underscored the shrinking civic space was the arrest of Rose Njeri, a software engineer whose only “offence” was building Civic Email, a simple digital tool enabling Kenyans to directly communicate their views to lawmakers during public participation on the Finance Bill 2025. Rose used her skills to help citizens push back against punitive tax proposals and the disturbing plan to grant the Kenya Revenue Authority access to private financial data, including M-Pesa transactions.

The State responded with brute force. Her home was raided, her devices seized, and she was arrested on a Friday, then held through the long Madaraka Day weekend. She was denied access to a lawyer, denied bail, and held for more than 88 hours, despite the Constitution being crystal clear on the rights of arrested persons under Article 49: the right to know the reason for arrest, to communicate with counsel, to access medical care, and to be brought to court within 24 hours.

Under Article 50, she was also entitled to a fair trial, to be presumed innocent, and to counsel of her choice. Yet attempts by her lawyers to reach police officers or their superiors went unanswered.

When she was finally presented in court, the charges were dismissed outright. The magistrate ruled that the allegations did not disclose any offence. Rose walked free and then walked onto the global stage: she was named to the TIME100 Next 2025, becoming the sixth Kenyan to receive this honour. We proudly supported her travel to New York to receive the award. Her recognition is not only a celebration of her brilliance, courage, and civic imagination, it is a victory for every Kenyan who believes that technology can strengthen democracy, not threaten it.

Young Kenyans Redefining the Online Space

On the digital rights front, young Kenyans are leading transformative campaigns to make the internet safer, fairer, and more accessible. In Nairobi, the Privacy First Campaigners launched Jua Terms, urging companies to simplify punitive online Terms and Conditions so users can truly understand what they are agreeing to before clicking “I agree.” Meanwhile, in Mombasa, the Scroll Bila Troll campaign tackles cyberbullying, responding to a survey showing that 78% of young people aged 18–25 have experienced or witnessed online harassment. Both campaigns aim to foster online spaces that are transparent, safe, and empowering.

Amnesty International Kenya also co-hosted a Data Governance Research Day at Strathmore University, alongside CIPIT and the Data Privacy and Governance Society of Kenya (DPGSK). The session explored how to harness data responsibly while protecting dignity and privacy, emphasizing the need for systems that serve not just efficiency and profit, but the public good. Scholars, regulators, practitioners, and advocates examined ways to ensure that data governance strengthens equity, accountability, and human rights in the digital age.

Finally, through the Digital Consent General Assembly, young people actively debated ethical consent, drafted youth resolutions, and proposed creative alternatives such as icon-based and layered privacy notices. Their work demonstrates that digital rights are not abstract concepts — they shape freedom, safety, and participation online. Kenya’s youth are already taking the lead, reimagining the digital world to be more inclusive, ethical, and human-centred.

Celebrating Bold Digital Voices

September began on a high note with the celebration of this year’s Digital Rights Essay Competition winners. The competition drew in over 1,000 young changemakers from 45 Human Rights Friendly Schools across the country, each lending their voice to the future of human rights online. Writing under the theme “The Internet We Want”, students envisioned a digital space where governments, tech companies, and communities collaborate to build an inclusive, safe, and rights-respecting online future for all. Their ideas reflected not just creativity, but also courage—proof that Kenya’s next generation is ready to lead the digital rights conversation.

From Kisii to Kajiado, Homabay to Kiambu, the very best of these voices stood out. The winners per region were: Frazier Achieng Obarah (Lake Junior School – Homabay), Ariana Mildred (Noonkiprir Girls Secondary – Kajiado), Kwamboka Joan (Suneka Girls – Kisii), Carilus Akede (St. Johns Masawa Junior – Kisumu), Perpetua Nyaboke Ombati (Nyabururu Girls High School – Nyamira), Enock Kipyegon Rotich (Kabianga School – Rift Valley), and Esperenza Hope Mbone (Senior Chief Koinange Girls – Kiambu). Each of them carried forward a message of hope: that the internet can—and must—be a place where rights thrive, not where they are eroded.

Youth Taking Their Rightful Place In Global Human Rights Spaces

If 2025 proved anything, it is this: young people are not waiting their turn. They are organising, speaking, shaping policy, and taking their rightful place at decision-making tables—locally, regionally, and globally.

Through our Rights Click programme, Faith Katumbi, one of Amnesty Kenya’s Digital Rights Champions, represented Kenyan and African youth at the European Youth Meeting in Sweden. There, she joined critical conversations on civic freedoms, digital governance, and online safety—issues that define the lived realities of young people today. Faith also engaged directly with Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, bringing youth voices into spaces where global standards are shaped. It was a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to influence when conviction meets opportunity.

Building Africa’s Next Generation of Human Rights Defenders

From 4 November to 10 December 2025, Amnesty International hosted the first-ever Regional Human Rights Campaigners Training, a six-week virtual programme co-hosted by Amnesty Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa. The response was overwhelming: nearly 3,000 applicants from across 22 African countries expressed interest, proving that the continent is ready and eager to organise for justice.

The training tackled some of Africa’s most urgent human rights challenges: shrinking civic space, disinformation, economic justice, gender inequality, and the enduring legacies of colonialism. Each week, a different Amnesty Section led the conversation, bringing its unique expertise and perspective. Participants developed resilience strategies, intersectional analysis maps, organising plans, and decolonising commitments, all tailored to the realities of their local communities.

Reports and Publications Released in 2025

• CTRL+Speak II: A Human Rights Magazine for Human Rights Friendly Schools
• “This Fear, Everyone is Feeling It”: Tech-Facilitated Violence Against Young Activists in Kenya
• Technology and Human Rights Quarterly Digest – Q3 2025
• 5 Years On: Citizens’ Perspective on Kenya’s Data Protection Act Implementation
• Technology and Human Rights Quarterly Digest – Q2 2025
• Wamefungiwa, Wametengwa: Maisha Yaliyofichwa Ya Wafanyikazi wa Nyumbani Kutoka Kenya Wanaofanya Kazi Nchini Saudi Arabia
• Locked In, Left Out: The Hidden Lives of Kenyan Domestic Workers in Saudi Arabia
• Missing Voices Annual Report 2024: Brutal Policing
• The State of the World’s Human Rights
• 2024 Annual Report: Still Here
• Lest we Forget I

As we close this Year in Review, one truth stands unshaken: the struggle for human rights in Kenya is far from over, but neither is our resistance. This year laid bare the cost of silence and the price of courage. We witnessed the state test the limits of power, and we saw ordinary people push back, on the streets, in courtrooms, on radio waves, in code, in classrooms, and across borders. Some paid with their freedom. Some paid with their lives. Their stories now carry a responsibility that belongs to all of us.

What sustained the movement in the face of fear was solidarity, messy, loud, imperfect, and deeply human. It showed up in families refusing to stop searching, in youth who organised anyway, in communities that chose care over despair, and in defenders who kept going even when justice felt deliberately out of reach. Every release secured, every charge dismissed, every life defended was a reminder that power concedes nothing without pressure.

As we step into the year ahead, we do so with clarity and resolve. Human rights are not seasonal. Accountability cannot wait. Dissent is not a crime. We will continue to document, to mobilise, to litigate, to educate, and to stand with those most at risk, because the cost of doing nothing is far greater than the cost of resistance.

To every member, supporter, activist, survivor, and partner who walked this road with us: this movement is yours. The work continues. The struggle continues. And together, we continue.