Petition Demanding Action By Govt Over June 25 Shootings

Just hours after the BBC aired its documentary exposing the June 2024 shootings at Parliament, Amnesty Kenya launched a petition calling on the government to launch a full public inquiry into the incident.

Amnesty Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton took to social media, encouraging citizens to watch the documentary — titled Bloody Parliament — and then sign the petition available on the organization's official website.

Houghton urged the public not to be swayed by online commentary alone, but to personally view the documentary, form their own opinions, and support the petition aimed at demanding accountability from public officials.

"Despite the distraction caused by #BBCForChaos, the reality is that lives were lost and families were shattered. Only the DCI, ODPP and IPOA can give them justice. Watch #BloodParliament and sign the petition calling for a public inquiry on the #OccupyParliament protests," Amnesty stated.

Police barricade Kenyans participating in the June 25 protests on June 25, 2024. /ZAWYA

On its website, the organisation detailed the broader consequences of the Anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests, which resulted not only in dozens of deaths but also in approximately 89 cases of enforced disappearances.

The BBC documentary, featuring interviews with outspoken Kenyans who took part in the demonstrations, reviewed thousands of images and videos. It identified a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer and a National Police Service (NPS) officer as being involved in the shooting of peaceful protesters.

The documentary’s findings have triggered widespread outrage, especially since both the KDF and NPS have remained silent since its release on Sunday night.

Amnesty Kenya reported that joint investigations, conducted alongside the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), and Medics for Kenya, uncovered multiple human rights violations committed on June 25.

Key findings include evidence that police fired live rounds at unarmed protesters, leading to at least six deaths outside Parliament, three of which were specifically documented in the BBC report.

Investigators also found that security forces indiscriminately used tear gas, water cannons, and batons against protesters, bystanders, and even medical personnel, causing hundreds of injuries.

Additionally, the investigations confirmed that 89 individuals were forcibly abducted during the protests, with many still missing to this day.

"Sign this petition to urge the Government of Kenya to establish a Commission of Inquiry that will allow victims and other Kenyans to present evidence and investigate the June 25, 2024, police violence. This is a crucial step toward ensuring accountability for the unlawful use of force against protesters," the organisation concluded in the petition.

How To Sign: To sign, simply key in your names, email address, country and mobile phone.