All East African Countries Accused of Abductions, Torture and Extrajudicial Killings
The East African Law Society has raised serious allegations against all East African governments, accusing them of abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings of their citizens.
These claims come amidst growing concerns over abductions and forced disappearances of critics of President William Ruto’s government in Kenya.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the President of the East Africa Law Society, Ramadhan Abubakar; Uganda Law Society President, Isaac Ssemakade; Law Society of Kenya President Faith Mony Odhiambo; Tanganyika Law Society President Boniface Mwabukusi; and President of the Rwanda Bar Association, Moise Nkundabarashi warned against abductions and torture of East African citizens by their own governments.
“The East Africa Law Society is alarmed by a worrying resurgence of human rights and rule of law violations across the East African region. The violations are characterized by clandestine abductions, enforced disappearances, torture of victims, and, in extreme cases, extrajudicial killings. These heinous acts are primarily targeted at dissidents and government critics, political activists, journalists, demonstrators, and recently young people protesting against misrule,” the statement reads in part.
In Kenya alone, there have been over 82 cases of abductions since the Gen-Z-led demonstrations in June 2024. Dozens of protestors were killed as Kenyans took to the streets, violently protesting against the Finance Bill that would hike taxes and increase the cost of living.
29 of the 82 abductees are still unaccounted for.
Even after protests ended following President Ruto’s withdrawal of the bill, the abduction of young critics accused of fueling the protests has not ceased.
In December 2024 alone, the country has seen a wave of abductions of youthful government critics, sparking outrage and condemnation from in Kenya and around the world.
The High in Kenya has issued an order to release all abducted persons or produce them to court dead or alive.
The East African Law Society also accused the Tanzanian government of human rights violations against opposition politicians and activists.
“In the United Republic of Tanzania, reports by human rights bodies paint a gloomy picture. Recent murders of opposition figures like Ally Kibao, abduction of Aisha Machano, a senior official from an opposition party, disappearance of Deusdedith Soka and 3 others, waves of arrests of young people planning to celebrate the international youth day, acid attacks on political activists, among other incidents, demonstrate a steep rise in political intolerance in the country.”
In Uganda, the Society said that human rights abuses, particularly those targeting the political opposition and other government critics, have risen.
President Yoweri Museveni’s government has been accused of silencing dissenting voices using torture, illegal detentions, and forced disappearances.
“Torture remains endemic in the country. Reports indicate that individuals are detained in illegal “safe houses” and subjected to brutal treatment. Enforced disappearances continue to be used as a tool of political repression. Reports suggest that these disappearances are strategically employed to stifle dissent, particularly during politically sensitive periods. A recent notable incident is the abduction of opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye in Nairobi, Kenya,” the Society said.
Besigye was abducted in Kenya together with his political associate, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, in November 2024 in a coordinated plan between Uganda and Kenyan security services. They had traveled to Nairobi to attend the book launch by Kenya’s former justice minister, Martha Karua.
The two were later arraigned before the military court in Kampala and charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The prosecution told the court that the alleged crimes were committed in Kenya, Switzerland, and Greece.
“This event has raised concerns over the emergence of cross-border abductions and the broader implications for dissidents and the political opposition, including those seeking refuge in other countries in the region.”
The East African Law Society further noted that Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia also face significant human rights challenges, with governments frequently resorting to enforced disappearances, abductions, and torture to maintain control.
“In South Sudan, ongoing conflict exacerbates the problem, while in the DRC and Somalia, both state and non-state actors continue to engage in widespread violence against civilians and terror groups. The continued pattern of abductions, enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings across the region directly contravenes the fundamental principles of the East African Community as provided for under Article 6 of the Treaty Establishing the Community. They erode gains made in promoting human rights and the rule of law, including the right to liberty, security, and protection from torture and cruel treatment.”
The Society said that detention without due process, torture, and enforced disappearances signal a denial of justice and create prolonged uncertainty for families of the disappeared and that of citizens.
The regional law body noted that all East African Community partner states are bound by both domestic and international obligations to protect their citizens from torture, abductions, and enforced disappearances.
Despite the protections provided by these national and international legal instruments, the body said that enforcement is severely lacking and violations continue unabated.
Most East African countries are signatories to several key international instruments, including the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which obligate states to prevent torture, investigate abuses, and prosecute perpetrators.
“The failure by most EAC partner states to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) further compounds the problem, leaving significant gaps in regional human rights protection. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights also guarantees fundamental human rights, yet governments continue to neglect their commitments, leaving victims without recourse. This failure to act must be addressed immediately,” the Society said.
CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
i) The immediate release of all those that have been abducted. Lawful arrests should be effected on those that security agencies believe have broken the law.
ii) Immediate cessation of cross-border abductions. Member states must collaborate and establish joint investigative teams, create robust intelligence-sharing frameworks, and put in place coordinated legal mechanisms to address transnational crimes and arrests.
iii) The urgent ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).
iv) Prioritization of security sector reforms. Comprehensive training on human rights, lawful detention, and community policing must be implemented immediately. Mechanisms to investigate misconduct within security forces must also be strengthened.
v) Civil society and victims’ voices must be central to efforts to combat enforced disappearances. Governments should institute measures to engage in urgent dialogues with civil society organizations to design and implement strategies to address these violations.
vi) The convening of a high-level summit to adopt concrete, enforceable measures to address abductions, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
vii) Governments that are yet to do so must establish independent and impartial oversight bodies with the power to investigate abductions and enforced disappearances. These bodies must be transparent and hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of their rank or affiliation.
The East African Law Society urged all East African Community Partner States to act decisively and quickly in upholding commitments to human rights and the rule of law.
“The region’s leaders must demonstrate leadership by taking immediate action to end these crimes.”