In the absence of minimal safeguards to prevent human rights violations, torture has become so routine in Kenya that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture has reported that security forces have even used torture to extort bribes. As part of a continuing pattern of harassment, police have carried out violent attacks on public meetings critical of the government or stood by while armed gang attacked the participants. Overcrowding, lack of basic sanitary requirements and inadequate food, clothing and medical care have contributed to hundreds of deaths each year. Kenyan human rights organizations are prevented from visiting the prisons. International human rights organizations have also been refused access to some prisons as has the UN Special Rapporteur on torture.
Lawyers report being frequently denied access to prisoners.
Some positive steps have been taken in recent years following public pressure by Amnesty International and the world community. In February 1997 a new Police Commissioner publicly ordered all police officers to stop beating suspects during interrogation and to stop harassing journalists. The following month, Kenya agreed to be legally bound by the provisions of the UN Convention against Torture. Also that year three police officers were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in a landmark trial for torturing a prisoner to death. While these measures appear to have had some effect in reducing torture, Kenya has yet to come to turns with the true extent of the problem.