Amnesty International has urged for a comprehensive investigation into the death of Albert Ojwang, who died while in police custody in Kenya. The rights group has emphasized the need for enhanced transparency and accountability within the nation’s law enforcement agencies. According to a statement from Amnesty International, Ojwang reportedly sustained fatal head injuries after allegedly hitting his head against the wall while in detention.
The circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s arrest have drawn significant attention. He was detained at Nairobi’s Central Police Station for “false publication,” violating sections of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018. His father revealed to local media that Ojwang’s arrest followed an incident where he purportedly insulted a senior individual on the social media platform X.
Ojwang’s death has intensified scrutiny over the Kenyan government’s recent actions against civil society. Last year, the Kenya Human Rights Commission criticized the government for ignoring constitutional mandates amid reports of extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. More recently, a series of protests against a controversial finance bill led the global civil society alliance CIVICUS to report that 20 human rights defenders had gone missing. Another digital activist, Rose Njeri, was detained under unclear circumstances.
Amnesty International has called for an investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights into Ojwang’s death. The Kenyan National Police Service has confirmed that the IPOA has already commenced its investigation into the incident.
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