In May 2020, the world was shocked by the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis following a violent police arrest. The words “I can’t breathe” have had a strong impact on public opinion. The case has led society to reflect on police violence and racism. Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Police violence is rife in other countries without receiving the same level of publicity.
One such country is Kenya, where serious human rights violations by security forces have been widely documented. Torture, enforced disappearances, rapes, extrajudicial executions… The authorities regularly resort to excessive use of force while carrying out operations in the name of security. According to the Missing Voices annual report, 157 people were killed by the police in Kenya in 2020.
On March 27, 2020, the Kenyan government decided to impose a curfew and other restrictive measures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this has not been without consequences. The police have used excessive and arbitrary force to restrict freedom of expression, and demonstrations and gatherings have been banned. A notable example is the case of 13-year-old Yasin Moyo, who was assassinated on his balcony by a police officer enforcing the curfew.
In the midst of the pandemic and following criticism from various human rights organizations, President Kenyatta apologized for the widespread police violence but did not order the police to end the abuse. Then, in February 2021, an unprecedented case struck the Kenyan justice system: 15 police officers and 6 law enforcement officers were charged with violent acts committed in March 2020. However, despite the victims’ hopes, the charges were dropped.
Fighting against impunity for police violence and facilitating relationships between the police and communities form a specific part of PBI Kenya’s support objectives. The violence committed by the police has prompted residents of marginalized neighborhoods to come together, notably through the Social Justice Centres (SJCs). In Kenya, PBI and the SJCs are working together to fight these abuses through regular dialog with national and international authorities to steer the government to respect human rights. This year marks the 40th anniversary of PBI, so we want to take this opportunity to reiterate the importance of and need to combat human rights violations such as police violence and to promote peace.
