Pressure mounts to probe Kenya police and army after BBC exposé

Leading quality rights organisations person renewed calls for investigations into the sidesplitting of protesters by Kenya's information forces during demonstrations against a emergence successful taxes past June.

It follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation, exposing members of the information forces who changeable dormant 3 protesters astatine Kenya's parliament, igniting nationalist outrage and demands for justice.

Amnesty International and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said the officers identified successful the documentary should "face the law".

The BBC said it had cancelled a backstage screening of the documentary successful Kenya's superior Nairobi connected Monday "due to unit from the authorities".

"We are precise disappointed not to person been capable to stock the documentary and sheet treatment arsenic planned," a BBC spokesperson said.

"In the meantime, audiences tin ticker the movie connected BBC Africa's YouTube channel," the spokesperson added.

• 'They aimed to kill' - BBC identifies information forces who changeable Kenya anti-tax protesters

BBC Africa Eye's Blood Parliament documentary revealed however information forces brutally responded to youthful protesters who breached Kenya's parliament connected 25 June 2024, the time lawmakers voted to o.k. the projected taxation hikes.

The arguable concern bill was aimed astatine raising $2.7bn (£2bn) the authorities said it needed to chopped its reliance connected outer borrowing - but had sparked widespread.

Using open-source information and user-generated content, the BBC's investigation of much than 5,000 images identified uniformed information unit - a policeman and solider - who opened occurrence sidesplitting 3 unarmed protesters astatine parliament.

The wider clampdown by the information forces connected a bid of protests against the concern measure near astatine slightest 65 radical dead, resulted successful the forcible disappearance of 89 others and the apprehension of thousands, according to Amnesty International. The Kenyan authorities enactment the decease toll astatine 42.

Amnesty said the documentary corroborated the group's earlier study that "unnecessary and excessive lethal unit was utilized against protesters".

It demanded some the constabulary and the Kenya service to "act and publically authorities the actions being taken with respect to the findings of the BBC exposé".

The rights radical urged Kenyans to motion a petition calling for a nationalist enquiry into the killings during what were dubbed the #OccupyParliament protests.

The KHRC said the BBC documentary revealed however "organised criminals successful constabulary and subject uniforms" were deployed "to execution guiltless Kenyans".

It said the "responsibility rests with [President William] Ruto, who indispensable beryllium held accountable for these deaths".

Kenyans expressed their choler online, pressing the authorities to clasp information officers accountable for the killings and injuries of peaceful protesters.

Ruto has antecedently defended constabulary against accusations of brutality and precocious warned Kenyans against commenting connected subject matters.

Police person besides repeatedly denied engagement successful the abductions and killings. No officers person been charged.

In effect to the BBC documentary, the constabulary work said the unit could not analyse itself, adding that the Kenya's Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) was liable for investigating alleged misconduct.

The Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) told the BBC the IPOA had not forwarded immoderate petition to look into immoderate of its unit progressive successful the operations astatine parliament.

On Monday, pursuing the merchandise of the BBC Africa Eye documentary, the IPOA gave an update connected the investigations into constabulary brutality witnessed during the anti-tax protests.

The authorization revealed that truthful far, of the 60 deaths nether investigation, 41 progressive gunshot wounds. IPOA said it had completed 22 investigations, portion it was actively pursuing 36, and that 2 cases were presently earlier the courts.

The investigating bureau said it had recorded 233 wounded cases during the demonstrations.

In a statement, the main absorption conjugation said the "execution of peaceful protesters was premeditated and sanctioned astatine the highest levels".

"We powerfully pass the Ruto authorities connected further bloodshed," a associated connection said, reacting to the BBC documentary.

The Kenyan authorities is yet to officially respond to the BBC documentary but 1 legislator has called for the BBC to beryllium banned successful Kenya.

George Peter Kaluma said that the 37-minute-long documentary risked "destabilising" the country.

But a senator, Edwin Sifuna, defended the documentary saying determination were nary "fabrications" successful it.

"We indispensable promote these stories to beryllium told from each angles for the involvement of information and justice. Those who are uncomfortable with this are wrestling with their ain consciences and we cannot assistance them with that," Sifuna posted connected X.