Six Kenyan protesters found dumped, tortured after arrest at Gen Z memorial march

Six Kenyan protesters arrested during the second anniversary of the landmark "Gen Z" uprising were found "dumped and tortured" on Saturday, rights group said.

Families of those killed by security forces in June 2024, joined by activists and politicians, held a memorial march through Nairobi on Thursday to protest police killings as authorities sealed off major roads under tight security.

About 355 people were arrested across the country, according to Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen, with many appearing in court on Friday.

But the six protesters arrested outside parliament had remained incommunicado since Thursday, with rights groups calling for their immediate release.

The east African nation has a long history of police brutality and enforced disappearances.

The six were found "dumped" in different parts of Nairobi on Saturday morning, but one protester remained missing, according to the Kenya Human Rights Commission.

"They report being brutally assaulted by police while in custody," KHRC wrote on X.

They were found with injuries and rushed to hospital, local media reported.

At least 127 people were killed during protests in June-July 2024 and a similar period in 2025, according to a police watchdog as security forces shot people with near-total impunity.