NAIROBI, Kenya – Four Kenyan filmmakers arrested in connection with the BBC Africa Eye documentary Blood Parliament have been released from police custody, following mounting public pressure and condemnation from rights groups.
Nicholas Gichuki, Brian Adagala, Mark Karubiu and a fourth colleague were detained on Friday night at their studio in Nairobi’s Karen suburb. They were held at Pangani Police Station and reportedly interrogated without legal representation.
Authorities had indicated the group would be charged with “false publication” in relation to the investigative film, which alleges police were involved in the fatal shooting of three unarmed protesters near Parliament during anti-tax demonstrations in June 2024.
Their arrest—coinciding with World Press Freedom Day on 3 May—sparked national and international outrage. Journalists, lawyers and human rights groups described it as an attempt to silence independent storytelling and intimidate media professionals who expose state wrongdoing.
UPDATE: All four film makers have been released.
According to investigative journalist John-Allan Namu, who has been closely monitoring the case, the filmmakers were forced to record statements and had their equipment confiscated. It remains unclear if the case will proceed in court or if the charges will be dropped entirely.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) called the arrests “a blatant violation of constitutional rights” and urged the government to respect press freedom and due process. Amnesty International Kenya also demanded an end to what it termed the “criminalisation of truth-telling.”
Blood Parliament, released by BBC Africa Eye last week, uses open-source video evidence to piece together the final moments of three young men—David Chege, Eric Shieni, and Ericsson Mutisya—killed outside Parliament on 25 June 2024. Despite hundreds of complaints filed with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), no police officers have been charged.
The release of the filmmakers has been welcomed by media stakeholders, but concerns remain over the use of cybercrime laws to target journalists and documentarians.
Press freedom advocates continue to call for the return of the confiscated equipment and full protection for those involved in the production of the documentary.
Been in touch with lawyers at Pangani police station and have been told that the film makers arrested last night are being charged with false publication in relation to the BBC documentary #BloodParliament . Their equipment was confiscated and they were made to give statements
