Nairobi, 25 December 2024: The Police Reforms Working Group strongly condemns the recent abduction of social media users Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti and Bernard Kavuli. We note the reported arrest and detention of Gabriel Supeet at the Ntulele Police Station and public anxiety as to the whereabouts of Naomi a.k.a @Jaber_totoo.
We remind the Government of Kenya of its unequivocal duty to uphold the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom and security of the person under Article 29. Any arrest or detention must strictly adhere to the rule of law, including the obligation to provide access to legal representation, present those arrested before a court of law within 24 hours or release them on bond, as stipulated in Article 49 of the Constitution.
We further remind the State that under the United Nations Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances (Preamble and Art.2) “An enforced disappearance is considered to be the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, which places such a person outside the protection of the law”.
The state’s continued silence and lack of accountability surrounding the whereabouts of Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, and Bernard Kavuli only serves to deepen public mistrust in the state’s commitment to protect its citizens. We call upon the government to immediately reveal the location of these individuals, ensure their safety, and present them before a court of law or release them unconditionally.
Should, as the National Police Spokesperson publicly stated on Tuesday, that the abductions are not the work of the Police, the security and law enforcement agencies must demonstrate its commitment to justice by holding accountable those responsible for these abductions. Any failure to act sets a dangerous precedent and will embolden further violations of human rights.
Ends.
This statement is signed by the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya, (PRWG-K) an alliance of national and grassroots organizations committed to professional, accountable, and human rights-compliant policing. The members of the PRWG include: Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), Kariobangi Paralegal Network, Defenders Coalition, Katiba Institute, Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCW), Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya), International Justice Mission (IJM-K), HAKI Africa, Amnesty International Kenya, Women Empowerment Link, Social Welfare Development Program (SOWED), Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA- Kenya), International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ – Kenya), Transparency International Kenya, Shield For justice, Wangu Kanja Foundation, Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO), Kenyans for Peace, Truth and Justice (KPTJ), Peace Brigades International Kenya. (PBI Kenya).
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