IN SHORT: A statement, supposedly from Amnesty International Kenya, claims the rights watchdog supports the deportation of Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi from Kenya for allegedly failing to comply with the country’s laws. But the statement is fake.
An image styled as a a statement from Amnesty International Kenya is doing the rounds on social media. It claims that the human rights organisation supports the deportation of Maria Sarungi, a prominent Tanzanian activist living in Kenya.
The statement, dated 17 September 2025, features the Amnesty International logo and carries the title: “AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL KENYA SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENT’S DECISION ON MARIA SARUNGI.”
“Amnesty International Kenya notes with grave concern the persistent and deliberate disregard for the laws and legal procedures of the Republic of Kenya by activist Maria Sarungi during her stay in the country,” reads part of the statement.
“Her continuous acts of defiance and failure to comply with the legal frameworks governing Kenya not only undermine the rule of law but also threaten public order and the integrity of national institutions,” it adds.
It goes on to state that the organisation “fully supports the decision taken by the Government of Kenya to remove Maria Sarungi from its territory”.
In January 2025, local and international media reported that Sarungi – a staunch critic of Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan – was abducted by armed men in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, and released several hours later.
Sarungi fled her country in 2020 to seek asylum in Kenya, alleging that she was facing threats from the government of then president John Magufuli.
The governments of Kenya and Tanzania have both been accused of abducting their critics, particularly those active on social media platforms. There have also been reports of migrants being abducted in Kenya and taken back to their home countries to face trial.
The statement and graphic accompanying it have been posted on Facebook here, here and here.
But is it genuine? We checked.
Fake statement
Amnesty International Kenya often publishes such statements on its social media accounts, including Facebook and X. We searched their accounts for the circulating statement but couldn’t find it.
We also found no reliable sources reporting that Sarungi had broken Kenyan laws or was scheduled for deportation.
On 21 September, the human rights organisation posted an image of the statement with the words “FAKE NEWS!” printed across it.
“Thought we were too busy and wouldn’t catch this? We did,” the organisation captioned the image.
The statement is fake and should be disregarded.
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