The Kenyan government must stop criminalizing dissent now

July 8, 2025

We, the undersigned national human rights organizations from the Global North and South, express our unequivocal solidarity with our colleagues at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) in Kenya, and with Martin Mavenjina, KHRC’s Senior Legal Advisor on Transitional Justice, who was deported to Uganda on July 5 under deeply troubling circumstances, separating him from his children.

Despite holding a valid legal work permit and residing in Nairobi with his young family, Martin was forcibly removed from Kenya in what appears to be a targeted act of intimidation. This action not only violates his individual rights, but it also undermines the rule of law, due process, and the essential role civil society plays in democratic societies.

In addition, we condemn in the strongest terms the violent interruption of a peaceful media event hosted by KHRC and its civil society partners on July 6, where mothers of victims of police violence were speaking out about abuses committed by Kenyan security forces. The incident led to an unfortunate attack on the media, some of whom had their equipment destroyed or items stolen. Also, the systemic use of goons is a ploy by the perpetrators to deepen state repression with minimal individual and command responsibility among the law enforcement officers. 

The invasion of KHRC’s offices by armed individuals demonstrates an alarming trend toward the criminalization and silencing of dissent.

These two actions are not separate or isolated. They form part of a wider and deeply concerning pattern of harassment, intimidation, and repression aimed at civil society actors in Kenya. Human rights defenders, journalists, and community organizers are increasingly facing threats for their legitimate and lawful work. This not only contravenes Kenya’s Constitution, but also breaches its obligations under international human rights law.

We urgently call on the Government of Kenya to:

• Immediately and unconditionally cease all acts of intimidation and harassment against civil society organizations and human rights defenders;
• Ensure the immediate, unconditional and safe return of Martin Mavenjina and guarantee his right to family life and due process;
• Launch an independent investigation into the armed disruption of the Mothers of the Victims of State Sponsored Violence event hosted by KHRC and its sector partners, and hold those responsible to account;
• Uphold the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association as guaranteed under the Kenyan Constitution and international human rights treaties to which Kenya is a party.

We stand in firm solidarity with Martin Manvenjina, KHRC, Mothers of the Victims of State Sponsored Brutality in Kenya, and all human rights defenders in Kenya. 

Signed,

1. Al-Haq – Palestine
2. Agora International Human Rights Group – Russia
3. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – USA
4. Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)
5. Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)
6. Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad (Dejusticia) – Colombia
7. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS) – Argentina
8. Conectas Direitos Humanos -Brazil
9. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)
10. Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)
11. Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) -Australia
12. Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) – India
13. Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU)
14. The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) – Indonesia
15. Legal Resources Centre (LRC) – South Africa
16. Liberty (UK)