On 29 April 2025, BBC Africa released the Blood Parliament documentary, an investigative piece exposing the deadly events of the 25 June 2024 anti-finance bill protests in Kenya. The film presents a record of the killings and alleges that members of the Kenyan security forces were responsible for shooting some protestors at Parliament. The exposé sparked mixed reactions: while the public and human rights groups demanded swift investigations, sections of the political class condemned the film and called for action against BBC Africa.
As a direct follow-up to the release, four filmmakers involved in the production were arrested on 3 May 2025 during a late-night raid at their studio in Karen, Nairobi. They were detained overnight at Muthaiga and Pangani police stations. The arrests triggered an outcry from artists, human rights groups, and civil society actors, who demanded their immediate release. The filmmakers were later released on anticipatory bail and ordered to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on 21 May 2025.
This case underscores growing state hostility toward investigative journalism, freedom of expression, and the right to information. It is part of a wider trend of intimidation and retaliation against those documenting human rights violations linked to the 2024 anti-finance bill protests.