Armed men abduct Kenyan editor, employer suspects government
A newspaper editor in Kenya was kidnapped from a car late on Tuesday and then located near a dam far away a few hours later. The Standard paper said it suspected state involvement in an attempt to intimidate reporters.
An associate editor for Kenya's leading newspaper, The Standard, was abducted by armed men overnight on Tuesday and released nine hours later near a dam, his employer reported on Wednesday. Alex Kiprotich was taken from his car on the Gilgil-Nakuru highway near Nakuru city at around 9:20 pm on Tuesday. The government-critical outlet, The Standard, stated that the circumstances of Kiprotich's abduction are deeply troubling and they will continue to push for full accountability.
The newspaper released a video of what appeared to be dashcam footage showing a white vehicle stopping in front of Kiprotich's car, putting on hazard lights, and four men in civilian clothes emerging with firearms and baseball bats, taking Kiprotich back to their vehicle and driving off. Kiprotich was found near Masinga Dam, over 200 kilometers southeast of the abduction scene, approximately nine hours after he was taken.
The Standard Group CEO, Chaacha Mwita, stated that the abduction appears to be a targeted attack on a journalist doing his job. The Standard Group CEO expressed shock, outrage, and deep concern over the incident, describing it as a significant escalation in the intimidation and targeting of journalists in Kenya. Amnesty International Kenya also called for an independent investigation, raising serious concerns for media freedom.
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