The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has accused the governments of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda of orchestrating a regional crackdown on dissent through enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, and intimidation of activists, journalists, and government critics. In a strongly worded statement, the rights body named Presidents William Ruto, Samia Suluhu Hassan, and Yoweri Museveni, alleging that their administrations have increasingly treated peaceful dissent as a security threat rather than a democratic right.
KHRC claimed that recent incidents in the three countries point to a growing pattern of cross-border repression targeting human rights defenders and political activists. The commission cited the disappearance of several Kenyan activists following the June 25 memorial protests, alleged abductions in Tanzania, and reports of missing opposition figures in Uganda as evidence of what it described as shrinking civic space across East Africa.
Among its demands, KHRC called on regional leaders to immediately end enforced disappearances, produce all missing persons, investigate and prosecute those responsible, and guarantee that no one is punished for exercising the rights to protest, freedom of expression, or political association. The commission also demanded the resignation of senior Kenyan police officials it linked to alleged human rights violations and urged authorities to provide urgent medical, psychological, and legal support to affected victims.
The statement comes amid growing concern from civil society organisations over the state of democracy and human rights in the region, with KHRC urging East African governments to uphold constitutional freedoms and international human rights obligations
Source: Kenyan.co.ke
KHRC claimed that recent incidents in the three countries point to a growing pattern of cross-border repression targeting human rights defenders and political activists. The commission cited the disappearance of several Kenyan activists following the June 25 memorial protests, alleged abductions in Tanzania, and reports of missing opposition figures in Uganda as evidence of what it described as shrinking civic space across East Africa.
Among its demands, KHRC called on regional leaders to immediately end enforced disappearances, produce all missing persons, investigate and prosecute those responsible, and guarantee that no one is punished for exercising the rights to protest, freedom of expression, or political association. The commission also demanded the resignation of senior Kenyan police officials it linked to alleged human rights violations and urged authorities to provide urgent medical, psychological, and legal support to affected victims.
The statement comes amid growing concern from civil society organisations over the state of democracy and human rights in the region, with KHRC urging East African governments to uphold constitutional freedoms and international human rights obligations
Source: Kenyan.co.ke
