Free Billy, international jurists demand

Content creator Billy Simani disappeared on Friday. [X]

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has expressed alarm over the arrests following the Anti-Finance Bill protest held on Thursday, June 20.

In a statement, the collective body condemned the act, arguing that the individuals were held incommunicado.

According to ICJ, this practice breaches both constitutional and international laws, including the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

"ICJ Kenya has received reports that content creator Billy Simani, also known as Crazy Nairobian, was arrested, and his whereabouts are unknown to his family, friends, and legal representatives," read the statement.

"This alarming development follows the tragic death by gunfire of Rex Masai Kanyike during the Thursday, June 20, 2024, protests and reports of widespread unlawful use of force against protesters and journalists."

The jurists highlighted that incommunicado detention can lead to enforced disappearances, where individuals are secretly abducted and held by the state.

They noted that when individuals' whereabouts remain unknown, the likelihood of mistreatment, torture, and even murder increases.

For these reasons, the jurists are now calling on the Director of Criminal Investigations and Inspector General Koome to disclose the whereabouts of those arrested and adhere to constitutional due process.

They further urge the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and judicial officers to monitor and address these violations.