Amnesty International has requested this Thursday the opening of an “immediate, impartial and thorough” investigation into the kidnapping of the lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi, a resident of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, who has been found abandoned in the city of Isiolo, in the north-central part of the country, on the same day, after twelve days with no information about his whereabouts.
The organization has expressed its concern about the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the attorney and has urged the authorities to clarify what happened during his captivity and to identify all the people involved, with the aim of ensuring that those responsible appear before Justice.
“This case must not become just another statistic in the growing list of unresolved kidnappings and forced disappearances in Kenya,” Amnesty International has warned, which considers it essential to preserve and analyze all available evidence, including recordings from security cameras.
The NGO has urged the National Police Service (NPS) and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) to ensure “effective investigations,” and has called on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to promote court proceedings based on solid evidence, making sure that the suspects are brought before the courts.
Likewise, it has asked that both Abdi and his relatives receive updated information about the progress of the investigations, that protection measures be adopted for witnesses and collaborators against possible reprisals, and that responsibilities be clarified, including among those who may have helped facilitate the kidnapping.
Along these lines, it has warned that the absence of public results and of accountability mechanisms in previous cases fuels a sense of impunity and fear among the public. In this regard, it has stressed that “no one is above the law” and that the authorities must make clear that this type of crime will not go unpunished.
“Kenyan authorities have the obligation to protect all persons within their jurisdiction from forced disappearances and other human rights violations, to investigate reports effectively, and to ensure that victims and their families have access to justice and effective remedies,” the NGO concluded.