Rights group joins case on police ID concealment

A human rights group has taken steps to join a legal battle questioning how police officers conduct themselves during patrols.

The Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) has formally applied to be part of a petition already before court, which challenges the continued use of unidentifiable officers during routine security operations.

The suit, filed by activist Khelef Khalifa and the Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri), raises concerns over officers carrying guns without wearing official uniforms or revealing their identities.

In its application filed on May 6, IMLU says it brings valuable input to the case, especially regarding the effects of allowing police to operate without name tags, force numbers, or clearly marked vehicles.

The group has long worked on issues involving police accountability and leads the Police Reforms Working Group Kenya, a coalition that promotes responsible policing anchored in human rights.

According to the application, IMLU has documented patterns of torture and unlawful police actions, especially during times of protest.

The organisation says such incidents are often difficult to follow up when the officers involved cannot be identified. “The first intended interested party (IMLU) has also documented patterns of torture and police excesses, especially during protests,” the filing reads.

IMLU is seeking the court’s permission to join the petition as an interested party and warns that failure to include it could deny the proceedings a critical view shaped by years of monitoring police operations.

The petitioners are asking the court to declare that any arrests carried out by police officers who are not in uniform, fail to display their names or force numbers, or who use unbranded vehicles and wear masks, are unconstitutional and violate the public’s rights.

The petition is due for mention in court on June 10. The case could determine whether security officers must always identify themselves clearly when dealing with the public.