Five human rights defenders were on Tuesday, December 9 arrested outside the Tanzania embassy in Nairobi.
According to a statement by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), police detained Frederick Ojiro, Julius Kamau, Vincent Mboya, Lichuma, and Shem while they were petitioning the embassy to demand accountability for mass killings overseen by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan since October 29.
The KHRC condemned the arrests and called for the immediate and unconditional release of the five activists, stating that the William Ruto administration should stop protecting and shielding President Suluhu from accountability.
“We demand their immediate and unconditional release, and that the William Ruto regime stop protecting and shielding Suluhu from accountability for grave human rights violations that amount to crimes against humanity,” the statement read in part.
The detention of the activists in Kenya follows weeks of mounting pressure on the Tanzanian government over allegations of violent suppression of dissent.
Read More
Human rights defenders on Monday called for President Suluhu's resignation and the formation of a transitional government in Tanzania, particularly after authorities banned nationwide demonstrations that had been planned for Tuesday.
During a press briefing at the KHRC offices in Nairobi, activists urged Tanzania's government to honor citizens' constitutional right to peaceful assembly and provide protection for demonstrators.
The activists presented serious allegations against the Tanzanian administration, describing a pattern of systematic repression. One defender claimed the crisis has resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths, thousands of injuries, and numerous prosecutions based on what they characterized as fabricated charges.
Additional allegations included families being prevented from burying their deceased relatives, bodies being disappeared, hospitals raided, and medical workers threatened or abducted for treating wounded protesters.
Bob Njagi, representing the human rights defenders, criticized a government-appointed commission investigating the violence, arguing it lacks credibility and independence.
"Suluhu has already predetermined its findings by branding peaceful mobilization as manufactured unrest and framing citizens as threats to national security," Njagi said.
The Tanzanian police had declared on Friday that the December 9 demonstrations would be illegal.
Police Spokesperson David Misime announced the prohibition, noting that authorities had not received formal notification from any individuals or organizations seeking to hold demonstrations, despite widespread social media calls for protests on that date.
