African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights published a Joint Statement deploring the use of live ammunition by police on unarmed peaceful protestors in the Republic of Kenya

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is deeply concerned by recent events in the Republic of Kenya, as documented by reports of excessive use of force by security forces, arbitrary deployment of non-state actors to disrupt peaceful protests, in addition to restrictions on media houses from live coverage of the protests.

The Commission has received credible reports of the police shooting on the head, from a close distance, of Mr. Boniface Kariuki, a 22-year-old unarmed street vendor, during the Gen Z-led peaceful demonstrations held in Nairobi’s Central Business District on 17 June 2025. The Commission condemns such use of force as a violation of the right to life and personal security of those targeted by live ammunition and expresses its sincere wishes for the speedy recovery of Mr. Kariuki.

The Commission echoes the statement of the Kenya Judiciary of 18 June 2025 expressing concern over the ‘rising incidents of police brutality and the growing trend of peaceful protests being infiltrated by goons.’ These acts, prima facie, constitute a serious violation of the right to peaceful assembly.