Nairobi — A coalition of human rights Defenders and content creators are demanding answers from the Government on the whereabouts of a content creator Billy Simani alias Crazy Nairobian whom they say is being held incommunicado by the State.
The move comes after a section of Kenyans have accused the government of using state machinery to go after the protestors who took part in the Tuesday and Thursday’s anti-Finance Bill in bid to intimidate them.
The organizations including Amnesty International, the Law Society, Kenya Medical Association, Defenders Coalition, the Independent Medical Legal Union and the Bloggers Association of Kenya said available reports suggested Billy was in police detention.
“Twenty-five human rights associations of content creators, lawyers, medical officers and human rights defenders across the country have called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to clarify the whereabouts of content creator Billy Simani, also known as Crazy Nairobian,” read the joint statement in part.
President William Ruto’s digital activist Dennis Itumbi claimed police were holding the content creator over threatening messages.
Itumbi however could not disclose who the complainant was.
“I have checked with Police why Crazy Nairobian, Billy, is under arrest. I understand he sent threatening message/s,” he said arguing he bothers not about text threats.
“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.”
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He argued that when they they used to arrest him in the past he used the court platform to argue his case advising the supporters of the detained content creator to do the same.
“I am of the view that INSULTS are part of free speech,” he asserted.
Immediate release
The rights groups further called for the immediate release of any other content creators currently under arrest apart from Simani.
They also demanded a public undertaking by the government that no content creators or any Kenyan will be arrested for expressing their opinion online or for supporting the current protests.
Further, they called on the government to guarantee the right to freedom of expression for all Kenyans in line with our Constitution.
The rights groups called on the independent state agencies to independently investigate these arrests with a view to holding those responsible accountable.
About The Author
Bruhan Makong reports on security, human rights, and global affairs. He is passionate about uncovering the truth, amplifying the voices often drowned in silence, and holding those in power to account.
