A coalition of twenty-five human rights groups has demanded that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) clarify the whereabouts of popular content creator Billy Simani, widely known by his online alias "Crazy Nairobian".
The call to action follows reports of his alleged abduction by five police officers in Mwihoko. The influential social media figure disappeared on Friday, sparking widespread concern.
Dennis Itumbi, a prominent figure close to the state machinery, on Saturday, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Simani is under arrest for allegedly sending threatening messages.
"I get hundreds of those myself, and they do not bother me. But well, it is a crime. I am unable to intervene, though I strongly disagree. I will reach out to the complainant to see if he/she can withdraw," Itumbi posted.
Civil society organisations, including the Bloggers Association of Kenya, The Law Society of Kenya, the Kenya Medical Association, Defenders Coalition, the Independent Medical Legal Union, and Amnesty International Kenya, have rallied behind Simani.
They confirmed through family and friends that Simani was detained by the National Police Service at an undisclosed location. These groups are also advocating for the release of any other content creators currently detained.
"The Government of Kenya must issue a public undertaking that no content creators or any Kenyan will be arrested for expressing their opinions online or supporting the current protests," the coalition stated in a press release on Saturday, June 22.
They further urged the government to uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution and called for independent investigations into these arrests to ensure accountability.
The controversy surrounding Simani's arrest coincides with nationwide unrest over proposed tax increases in the proposed Finance Bill 2024.
In Nairobi, over 200 demonstrators were arrested during protests against the planned hikes, with civil society groups vowing to continue their demonstrations despite the crackdown.
Rights groups reported that at least 200 people were injured and more than 100 were arrested in the protests.
Five organisations, including Amnesty International, highlighted the violent nature of the police response, which involved tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets.
"Soft tissue injuries and inhalation of tear gas" were common among the injured, with six individuals reportedly struck by cars while fleeing from police and five others injured by rubber bullets.
Eyewitness accounts and physical evidence from the protest sites suggested the possible use of live ammunition, heightening concerns over the authorities' heavy-handed tactics.
Spent cartridges found at the scenes corroborated these allegations, raising alarms about the escalation of force used against demonstrators.
Already, organisers of this week's protests have called for protests to continue next week Tuesday and Wednesday.
