A week later, lawyer Abshir Abdi remains missing as rights groups demand answers

LSK Members led by their president Charles Kanjama during a protest over the disappearance of the lawyer Ahmed Abdi.[Benard Orwongo Standard]

The disappearance of Nairobi lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi has drawn condemnation from human rights groups, which are demanding that authorities disclose his whereabouts and launch an independent investigation.

The Coalition for Human Rights Defenders, Constitutionalism and Refugee Protection said Tuesday, November 10, that Abdi had been missing for more than a week despite court intervention and public calls for accountability.

In a statement, the coalition demanded his immediate release if he was being unlawfully detained. If authorities had legal grounds to arrest him, they should produce him before a competent court and uphold his constitutional rights, the group said.

The coalition has also called for an independent investigation into the circumstances of his disappearance, including the alleged involvement of armed individuals and security personnel.

It urged authorities to preserve and independently examine CCTV footage, vehicle records, communication data and other forensic evidence. Those found responsible should be held accountable regardless of their rank or political influence, it said.

Abdi was reportedly seized by armed men on Muchai Road, off Ngong Road in Nairobi, in the early hours of Sunday, November 1.

Amnesty International Kenya said CCTV footage showed masked men forcing him into a black SUV between 4:41am and 4:43am. His vehicle was later found abandoned nearby.

His family and colleagues have linked his disappearance to a contentious pro bono case he was handling at the Makadara Law Courts. They say he had raised concerns about the case and faced threats allegedly involving security and intelligence officers.

However, Directorate of Criminal Investigations Director Mohamed Amin and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja have both denied that police are holding Abdi or were involved in his disappearance. Police have since formed a special team to investigate the matter.

The case is before the Milimani High Court, where Abdi's brother, Zachary Abshir, has filed an urgent habeas corpus application seeking to establish his whereabouts.

His disappearance has sparked protests and condemnation from the Law Society of Kenya, Amnesty International Kenya and other human rights groups, which have raised concerns about a wider pattern of enforced disappearances.

The coalition said no individual or security agency had the authority to abduct, secretly detain or conceal the whereabouts of a Kenyan citizen.

It also called for an end to abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings and intimidation of citizens and human rights defenders. All reported violations must be independently investigated, with those responsible held accountable, it said.

“A missing Kenyan deserves answers. A detained Kenyan deserves justice. A deceased Kenyan deserves an independent investigation and accountability,” the coalition said.

The group urged the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, the Law Society of Kenya and international human rights institutions to ensure the case receives urgent and independent attention.

It also called for protection of Abdi's family, lawyers, witnesses and others involved in the proceedings.