The human rights commission urges investigations into attacks on journalists, including action against those who plan and facilitate them.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has called for accountability after Kenya recorded 92 verified press freedom violations in 2025. Physical assaults accounted for 67 per cent of the cases.
The figures appear in the Media Council of Kenya’s State of Media Freedom in Kenya 2026 report. They highlight the risks journalists face while carrying out their work.
In a statement issued on Monday, KNCHR warned that violence and intimidation threaten the public’s right to information. Such attacks also weaken freedom of expression and democratic accountability, the commission said.
KNCHR seeks accountability for press freedom violations
The commission urged authorities to conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into crimes against journalists. It also called for accountability beyond those who physically carry out attacks.
Individuals who plan, facilitate or mastermind assaults must face action too, KNCHR said. Its appeal therefore extended to those who organise attacks, as well as the people who execute them.
Meanwhile, KNCHR urged the government and relevant institutions to protect media workers from physical, digital and legal harassment. It called for an environment where independent journalists can work safely, without intimidation or fear of reprisals.
The commission stressed that protecting journalists also safeguards human rights and democratic governance. Because a free press supports public accountability, it urged measures that allow journalists to investigate and report independently on matters of public interest.
