Kenya

Kenya’s democratic system is fundamentally threatened by corruption, cronyism, police brutality and ethnic rivalries that are exploited by political leaders. Counter terrorism efforts often feature pervasive and discriminatory tactics targeting Muslim and ethnic Somali communities, and election tensions or irregularities have led to widespread protests and police crackdowns.

There has been a rise in the use of lethal force by Kenyan police, particularly in response to those exercising their right to protest. In 2016, police officers allegedly killed a total of 122 civilians, a 7% increase from 2015. Police have frequently beaten and used live ammunition against protestors, particularly around elections.

Journalists, bloggers, and activists are also frequently arrested or prosecuted on a variety of charges, and officials have allegedly pressured media outlets to curb unfavorable coverage. Despite pressures, many media houses continued to produce critical reporting on the government, and a number of activists use the country’s judicial system to fight back against threats.

ARTICLE 19 has successfully sought to protect free expression through the courts, leading to the High Court in Kenya declaring parts of laws on criminal defamation and ‘undermining public authority’ unconstitutional. We have worked with bloggers and online communicators to train them in online safety and challenged laws unduly limiting online expression. We train civil society and public officials on how to use and implement the Freedom of Information Act, and we assist civil society groups in engaging with the international and regional bodies.

UN: Advance accountability for protest violations
30.06.2023 3 min read

UN: Advance accountability for protest violations

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Kenya: Justice for Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif
03.05.2023 3 min read

Kenya: Justice for Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif

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Kenya: Launch of Coalition on freedom of expression and content moderation
17.03.2023 2 min read

Kenya: Launch of Coalition on freedom of expression and content moderation

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Kenya: Ensure public safety during opposition protests
17.03.2023 7 min read

Kenya: Ensure public safety during opposition protests

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Kenya: Murder of LGBTQ+ activist must prompt urgent reform
06.02.2023 6 min read

Kenya: Murder of LGBTQ+ activist must prompt urgent reform

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Rising to the challenges: ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa’s Annual Report 2021
14.11.2022 1 min read

Rising to the challenges: ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa’s Annual Report 2021

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Boundaries of Expression podcast #FreeToProtest: Climate action
04.11.2022 3 min read

Boundaries of Expression podcast #FreeToProtest: Climate action

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Eastern Africa: Governments must do more to protect journalists
02.11.2022 6 min read

Eastern Africa: Governments must do more to protect journalists

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Eastern Africa: Take urgent action to support free speech and vital rights
31.10.2022 2 min read

Eastern Africa: Take urgent action to support free speech and vital rights

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