How Gen Z has Shaped the Response to Torture and Police Brutality in East Africa
By Anne Kavutha Mutua, Innovative Lawyer Awardee
Anne Kavutha Mutua is a Kenyan human rights lawyer and REDRESS Innovative Lawyers Award recipient. She is the founder and director of The Legal Caravan, an organisation advancing justice and equality through community education, legal capacity-building, and advocacy, particularly on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
In this blog, Kavutha explores how Generation Z in East Africa is reshaping the fight against torture and police brutality through digital activism, legal awareness, and civic mobilisation—exposing abuses, supporting survivors, and pushing for greater accountability despite ongoing challenges in achieving justice.
Across East Africa, election cycles and political transitions frequently coincide with increased reports of torture, police brutality, enforced disappearances, and other serious human rights violations. In Kenya, protests against newly introduced tax policies in 2024 and 2025 sparked widespread demonstrations largely led by young people. In Uganda, the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act heightened fears of violence and persecution against sexual and gender minorities, forcing many to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Tanzania has also faced criticism over restrictions on civic space, including internet shutdowns during politically sensitive periods.
These developments highlight the fragile balance between State authority and civic freedoms in the region. Yet amid these challenges, one powerful force has emerged: the resilience and activism of young people. Generation Z has increasingly shaped how torture and police brutality are exposed, documented, and challenged through digital platforms, civic mobilisation, and legal advocacy.
Torture and Police Brutality in the Region
The prohibition of torture is absolute under international law. Instruments such as the United Nations Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights require States to prevent torture, investigate allegations, prosecute perpetrators, and provide remedies to victims. Jurisprudence from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights similarly affirms that torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment can never be justified.
Kenya’s Constitution reinforces these protections. Article 29 guarantees freedom and security of the person, including the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Article 37 protects the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration, while Article 244 requires the National Police Service to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms in the performance of its duties.
Despite these protections, reports of excessive force during protests and arbitrary arrests persist. During the youth-led protests against Kenya’s 2024 Finance Bill, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights documented dozens of deaths, hundreds of injuries, and widespread arrests linked to police action. Human rights groups have also reported that across the 2024–2025 protests, more than 100 people were killed and thousands arrested, with young protesters forming the majority of victims.
The Role of Gen Z in Exposing Violations
Gen Z activists have transformed how human rights violations are documented and discussed. Through social media platforms, digital campaigns, and citizen journalism, young people have made it significantly harder for abuses to remain hidden. Video recordings, livestreams, and coordinated online advocacy have amplified victims’ voices and brought greater scrutiny to incidents of police brutality.
Youth-led initiatives have also simplified complex legal and policy issues, translating constitutional rights and governance debates into accessible information. This has helped counter narratives suggesting that young protesters do not understand the issues they raise.
Civil society organisations have complemented this momentum through legal empowerment initiatives. With the support of REDRESS, youth-led organizations such as The Legal Caravan have trained activists and community members on strategic litigation as a pathway to justice, particularly for survivors of torture from sexual and gender minority communities.
The training brought together participants who were refugees and asylum seekers from Uganda who had fled persecution following the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. During the session, participants examined how torture is defined under international law and how survivors can pursue accountability. In post-training reflections, one transgender participant shared that they had experienced severe violence but had never realised that what they endured could legally amount to torture. They expressed regret at not knowing earlier that avenues for legal redress existed—highlighting the importance of legal awareness within marginalised communities.
Bridging the Justice Gap
Despite growing awareness, accountability for torture remains difficult to achieve. Courts require strict evidentiary thresholds, and many cases fail due to procedural gaps or lack of proper documentation. In my earlier career, I was involved in a torture case that collapsed because the victim had not obtained an Occurrence Book number when reporting the incident to the police.
Such technical requirements can prevent survivors from accessing justice even where violations clearly occurred. This underscores the importance of legal empowerment so that communities understand how to report abuses, preserve evidence, and navigate legal procedures.
Redress and Accountability
Justice for survivors of torture extends beyond prosecution. International human rights law recognises the right to redress, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition.
In Kenya, survivors of sexual violence during the 2007–2008 post-election violence eventually secured compensation from the Government in 2025 after years of litigation and advocacy. The recognition of State responsibility demonstrated how sustained legal action can secure long-awaited justice for survivors.
Conclusion
Gen Z’s activism across East Africa has reshaped the response to torture and police brutality. Through digital advocacy, legal literacy, and collaboration with civil society organisations, young people are expanding the tools available to demand accountability.
Strengthening legal empowerment and access to remedies will be critical to ensuring that survivors not only expose violations but also obtain justice. In an era where evidence can be captured instantly and shared globally, the voices of young people are becoming central to the fight against torture and impunity.
About the Innovative Lawyers Awards
REDRESS’s Innovative Lawyers Awards recognise the vital work of new and emerging anti-torture champions, expose them to a broader peer support network, provide financial support to pursue public interest litigation and to inspire other lawyers and practitioners. This support is made available through the United Against Torture Consortium, which is funded by the European Union. The contents of the Innovative Lawyers Awards blog series are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or REDRESS.
