Two journalists, one from Royal Media Services and the other from Radio Africa Group, were arrested alongside five activists in Malindi after confronting officers at a roadblock.
According to Hussein Khalid, CEO of Vocal Africa and an activist, the group was demanding that the police officers remove their balaclavas.
They were reportedly carrying a court order stating that all police officers in public spaces must wear uniforms and not cover their faces.
"Five human rights defenders and two journalists have been arrested in Marereni near Malindi for demanding that police officers manning a road block remove their balaclavas," Khalid said.
"The activists had a copy of a court order which ruled that officers in public spaces should be in uniform and not to cover their faces. They have been arrested and taken to Malindi police station."
The two journalists have only been identified as Roba and Brian. The five activists are Khelef Khalifa, Mathias Shipeta, Salma Hemed, Francis Auma and Atrash Bwana.
Following the arrests, Khalid demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the seven individuals.
The wearing of balaclavas and other face coverings by police officers has attracted concern from Kenyans and even prompted lawsuits.
In April this year, the High Court issued a landmark ruling requiring all police officers dispatched to maintain order in public spaces to wear uniforms and not cover their faces.
“A declaration is hereby issued that any law enforcement officer deployed to maintain law and order during an assembly, demonstration, or picketing must be in uniform and shall not, in any way, conceal their identity, including by obscuring their face, so as to remain unidentifiable,” Justice Mwamuye said.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued the order following a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which had petitioned the court following the killing of Rex Masai during a protest, claiming that the suspect in Masai's killing was a police officer dressed in civilian clothes.
LSK had claimed that the incidents of police brutality and unlawful killings were often linked to officers operating without uniforms or any form of identification.
