Kenyan authorities have detained three police officers for their involvement in the murder of a human rights lawyer. The officers have not yet been charged with the murders, but a judge announced they will remain [BBC report] in detention for two weeks as investigations are conducted. The body of Willie Kimani, a Nairobi lawyer working for the human rights and law enforcement organization International Justice Mission (IJM) [official website], was found [NYT report] on Friday along with a client and a taxi driver. Mr. Kimani had accompanied his client, Josephat Mwenda, to court after filing a complaint against a police driver for unlawfully shooting him in the arm. Mr. Mwenda had accused the police of “harassing him for more than a year after” filing the report. The three went missing shortly after leaving the courthouse.

The murders have outraged the international and domestic communities. A statement by 34 international human rights organizations condemned [AI report] the murders and hundreds have taken to the streets of Nairobi to protest [Swiss Info report] extrajudicial killings in the capital. Western governments who provide financial support to Kenya have also expressed [Guardian report] their concern over the murders and are urging [NYT report] the country to reform and comply with international human rights standards.