State involved in abductions, torture during crackdown on protests, report says

Amnesty International alleges that Kenyan authorities responded to protests with coercive tactics instead of addressing the grievances behind them. The reported practices include abductions, arbitrary arrests, torture, digital surveillance and harassment. The organisation says these actions targeted protesters, activists and journalists during demonstrations between 2023 and 2025.

The report describes people being detained for days, beaten, interrogated without lawyers and denied contact with families. Some interviewees said unidentified people suspected of being security agents took them to undisclosed locations. Journalists reported physical assaults, tear gas, water cannons, gunfire, confiscated equipment and orders to delete footage.

Amnesty called for the crackdown to end and for accountability over alleged violations. It also urged authorities to address economic grievances, including rising taxes, food and transport costs, corruption and poverty. The organisation said it shared its findings with government agencies but received no response before publication.

Amnesty International documented allegations involving 102 people across five counties: Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado, Nairobi and Kisumu. Those accounts concerned protests and alleged abuses occurring between 2023 and 2025. The people included protesters, activists and journalists, as well as others connected to demonstrations and their reporting.

The 102 accounts included people who said police arrested them or suspected security agents abducted them during or after protests. Some described detention, beatings, torture, questioning without legal representation and denial of family access. Six journalists separately reported police force and interference with their work.

Amnesty’s research interviews took place from April through July 2026. Researchers spoke with 102 people, including lawyers, government officials, a medic, social media influencers and civil society activists. The timing means the report examined earlier events using later interviews, while its findings remained allegations requiring accountability and further investigation.

Amnesty International used several forms of evidence to investigate the alleged crackdown. Its researchers interviewed people directly connected to the protests and their aftermath. These included protesters, lawyers, journalists, government officials, a medic, social media influencers and civil society activists. Their accounts provided details about arrests, abductions, detention, torture, surveillance and attacks on the press.

The organisation also reviewed parliamentary records, budgets and tax policies covering 2023 to 2025. These documents helped connect the protests to economic pressures, including taxes, public spending, debt and rising living costs. Researchers recorded accounts from 102 people across five counties and separately interviewed six journalists about police force and interference with reporting.

Amnesty said it shared its findings with relevant government agencies. However, it reported receiving no feedback by publication. The evidence therefore combines personal testimony and public records, while the reported abuses remain allegations requiring official accountability and investigation.

Abduction is taking or holding someone by force, threat or deception, often secretly. Arbitrary arrest means detention without a lawful reason, proper procedure or meaningful review. Torture is the intentional infliction of severe physical or mental suffering, often to punish or obtain information. Unlawful surveillance is monitoring people or their communications without a valid legal basis or safeguards.

These practices violate basic rights because they can remove liberty, privacy, physical safety, dignity and access to justice. The report describes people allegedly taken to unknown places, beaten, stripped, interrogated without lawyers and denied family contact. It also cites monitoring of phones, WhatsApp groups, X discussions, homes and relatives.

Human-rights protections require authorities to follow the law, respect due process and investigate abuse. Amnesty says Kenyan authorities should end the crackdown and ensure accountability. Government agencies had received the findings but had provided no feedback by publication.

When authorities use violence, surveillance or detention against dissenters, people may fear speaking, organising or documenting events. Journalism can suffer because reporters may face assault, equipment confiscation or orders to delete footage. Public protest can shrink when participants believe peaceful participation may lead to arrest, abduction or torture.

The report gives concrete examples. Six journalists said police used physical force, tear gas, water cannons and gunfire against them. Some said officers confiscated equipment or demanded deleted footage. Amnesty also documented alleged monitoring of phones, WhatsApp groups, X discussions, homes and relatives. These tactics create fear and restrict information.

Less reporting and fewer public demonstrations can weaken government accountability. Alleged abuses become harder to document, while economic grievances remain unresolved. Amnesty urged authorities to end the crackdown, address the causes of protest and investigate alleged violations. It said government agencies had not responded before publication.

The protests grew from a combined economic squeeze. Rising taxes and levies increased what households and businesses had to pay. Higher food, fuel and transport prices then made everyday needs more expensive. Public debt and poverty added pressure, while inequality and unfulfilled electoral promises deepened frustration about who benefited from government decisions.

Corruption was another central grievance. Fifty-four interviewees identified it as one of the main reasons they joined demonstrations. Protesters expressed concern that public money intended for social protection and public services was being misused. One said taxes were not logical unless authorities dealt with corruption and became accountable. Another linked fuel-price increases directly to higher living costs.

These issues turned economic hardship into political unrest. People were not only struggling with prices; they also questioned public spending and government priorities. Amnesty urged authorities to address these grievances rather than suppress dissent. The report connects the demonstrations to protests held across five counties between 2023 and 2025.

These pressures can reinforce one another. Public debt may increase pressure for higher taxes or levies and reduce room for social protection and public services. Inflation raises the prices of food, fuel and transport, so households feel the impact even when their incomes do not keep pace. Taxes then add to the cost of goods, services or daily travel.

Corruption can worsen the cycle when people believe public money is misused instead of supporting services or easing hardship. The report records concern over alleged misuse of funds intended for social protection and public services. It also links protests to debt, taxes, rising food and transport costs, poverty and inequality.

As purchasing power falls, frustration can become political when citizens see unfair burdens and broken promises. In the report, 54 interviewees named corruption as a major protest reason. The resulting demonstrations reflected both immediate household pressure and broader concerns about accountability, spending and government priorities.