Police Reforms Group condemns arrest of filmmakers

The four filmmakers outside Pangani police station after their release on May 3, 2025./HANDOUT

The Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya (PRWG-Kenya) has strongly condemned the arrest of four independent film producers on the eve of World Press Freedom Day.

In a statement released Saturday, the group decried the arrest of Nicholas Gichuki, Brian Adagala, Mark Karubiu, and Chris Wamae, as well as the seizure of their equipment by authorities on Friday night.

"While the four film producers have since been released on free bond, we call on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to drop the charges of 'false publication' against the four and release their equipment to them," the group said.

The arrests come in the wake of the BBC’s Blood Parliament documentary, which alleged police and military involvement in the deaths of protesters.

However, in a statement on Saturday from the BBC Press Office, the four filmmakers were not involved in the making of the exposé. 

"We have been made aware of the arrest of four journalists in Kenya. To confirm, they were not involved in any way in the making of BBC Africa Eye's Blood Parliament documentary," the statement from BBC reads in part. 

Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi also clarified that the four work in his organisation, Sema Ukweli. 

"They are my colleagues at Sema Ukweli and their arrest is worrying because they were not involved in the production of Blood Parliament. Some of the things confiscated belong to our organisation and it's concerning that our government is afraid of the truth," Mwangi posted on Instagram. 

PRWG-Kenya criticised the police for focusing their efforts on filmmakers instead of investigating the security forces named in the documentary.

"We call on the National Police Services to concentrate its vast investigative resources on finding and charging the Kenya Defence Forces and Police officers that have been identified in the BBC Blood Parliament documentary as suspected to have killed Ericcson Mutisya, David Chege, Eric Shieni, and the other 60 protesters," the statement said.

"This is where the public interest lies."

The group expressed outrage that the arrests took place just hours before World Press Freedom Day.

"That this crackdown occurred on the eve of World Press Freedom Day is shocking," the group said, calling the move a violation of constitutional rights. It cited Article 33 and 34 of Kenya's Constitution, as well as international legal instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

PRWG-Kenya also questioned the government’s commitment to human rights, referring to statements made during the recent Universal Periodic Review in Geneva.

"This crackdown also contradicts the commitment given by the Attorney General on behalf of the government to uphold human rights during the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva barely two days ago on May 1," the statement noted.

The group further criticised the broader environment of suppression and misgovernance.

"We urge the Government of Kenya to understand that with a failing economy, a burdensome taxing regime and a failed health sector, the ongoing scapegoating of critics and suppression of fundamental freedoms only serves to widen public distrust and disillusionment."

PRWG-Kenya called on Kenyans, civil society, and media organizations to stand in solidarity with those who continue to hold power to account.

"The Police Reforms Working Group calls upon all citizens, civil society and media agencies and partners to stand in solidarity with independent filmmakers, creatives, and journalists speaking truth to power and upholding the principles of democracy, justice, and accountability."