Kenyan editor found safe after abduction, Standard Group says

An editor of one of Kenya's largest news outlets ​was abducted by armed men and ​released hours later at the edge of ‌a ​dam more than 200 km (124 miles) away, his employer said on Wednesday. Alex Kiprotich, an associate editor for Standard Group , was taken from a ‌car near the city of Nakuru shortly before 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, the company said in a statement.

Dashcam footage shared by Standard Group appeared to show four armed and masked men emerging from a vehicle ‌parked on a busy road. Screams could be heard from the car carrying Kiprotich. He was dumped near ‌the Masinga Dam more than 200 km southeast of Nakuru, where he was found safe, the company said in a statement, without providing further details of his condition or the circumstances of his release.

Kenyan police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga did not immediately respond ⁠to requests ​for comment on the ⁠incident. Dozens of government critics and activists have been reported abducted or missing in Kenya since anti-government demonstrations in June 2024.

Human rights ⁠groups have accused state security agencies of being responsible. Government officials have denied those allegations, although President William Ruto ​acknowledged in June that there had been instances of excessive and extrajudicial action by members of the ⁠security services. The Standard newspaper, which is owned by Standard Group, has been critical of Ruto's government, accusing it of enabling corruption ⁠and ​police brutality. Ruto has accused The Standard of running "extortionist propaganda headlines".

Standard Group CEO Chaacha Mwita said Kiprotich had escaped an earlier attempt by armed men to seize him in June and that both ⁠incidents were linked to his work as a journalist. "This is a really sad thing to happen in ⁠a country like Kenya ⁠that says it is free and respects the freedom of the media and journalists to do their work," Mwita said.

Ruto's spokesperson did not immediately respond ‌to requests for comment.