INCLO members condemn the illegal detention and deportation of OSF Africa Director Brian Kagoro
The undersigned members of the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO) express deep concern regarding the illegal rendition of Open Society Foundations Programs Director Brian Kagoro by Kenyan Authorities.
Kagoro, a Pan-African human rights lawyer and prominent civil society leader, was detained for nearly ten hours upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on 22 February 2026 from South Africa. He was intensively interrogated by officials from Kenya’s Immigration Department and the National Intelligence Service. Authorities subsequently declared him persona non grata and placed him on a flight back to South Africa without following due process.
This action represents a grave violation of international human rights law, regional legal standards, and Kenya’s own constitutional guarantees. The forcible and extrajudicial transfer of an individual across borders without due process undermines the rule of law and sets adangerous precedent for the targeting of civil society leaders.
This incident follows the earlier illegal rendition of Martin Mavenjina, the Kenya Human Rights Commission’s (KHRC) Senior Legal Advisor on Transitional Justice – who was wrongfully deported to Uganda on July 5, 2025 – and points to a troubling pattern of escalating pressure on civic space and human rights defenders in Kenya. The removal of individuals without transparent procedures or legal safeguards undermines democratic accountability and weakens protections essential to the functioning of an open society.
Human rights defenders must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention, or expulsion. The targeting of individuals for their human rights activities sets a dangerous precedent and risks contributing to a broader climate of repression.
INCLO members call on the Government of Kenya to immediately disclose the circumstances
surrounding Brian Kagoro’s detention and transfer and to guarantee his safety and access to legal counsel. INCLO further urges the government to uphold its obligations under international human rights law, including protections against arbitrary detention and unlawful transfer, and to ensure accountability for any due process violations.
INCLO members also call on regional bodies, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate action. Reaffirming its solidarity with Brian Kagoro and his family, INCLO members stress that protecting human rights defenders is essential to safeguarding civic space and the rule of law.
We join our member, the KHRC, in condemning this action and stand in solidarity with Kenyan
civil society. KHRC’s full statement can be read here.
Signatories:
- Agora International Human Rights Group (Agora, Russia)
- Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)
- Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
- Conectas Direitos Humanos (Conectas, Brazil)
- Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)
- Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC, Australia)
- Human Rights Law Network (HRLN, India)
- Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)
- The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS, Indonesia)
- Legal Resources Centre (LRC, South Africa)