Dispatches

The American Communist Party (ACP) unequivocally condemns the illegal abduction, torture, and fabricated charges leveled against Booker Ngesa Omole, General Secretary of the Communist Party Marxist-Kenya (CPM-K). This egregious act constitutes a grave violation of human rights and a blatant assault on international solidarity. On February 24th, Comrade Omole was kidnapped and terrorized by plainclothes agents of the state who neither identified themselves nor conducted a legal arrest. In the process, they fractured his arm and are currently denying Omole access to lawyers or family, a tactic synonymous with dictatorial regimes. These acts of barbarism demonstrate the depths of the Kenyan government's campaign to suppress anti-imperialist voices and criminalize dissent. Comrade Omole has been transferred to Kitengela Remand Prison, a detention facility well known for its brutality. The court, acting with open hostility, has denied him both cash bail and urgent medical care. This is not justice; it is political persecution. As reported by the CPM-K, Comrade Omole was thrown into a filthy cell. An unknown man was sent to defecate in the corner, with poorly cooked food dumped beside the waste. Comrade Omole was then forced to clean the human filth. This is not detention; it is torture. The Kenyan state has concocted a series of ludicrous charges against Cde. Omole. These include: • Links to a "drug cartel": This preposterous claim is pure political theater. Cde. Omole's only connection to Venezuela is his solidarity with Nicolás Maduro. Internationalism is not narcotics. Anti-imperialism is not a crime. • Allegations of assault: These are a deliberate distortion of the truth. Plainclothes operatives grabbed Cde. Omole, without identifying themselves, displayed no badges or warrants. Any altercation that arose from this illegal abduction was not resistance to the law. Kidnappers cannot masquerade as police and cry victim. • Firearm Possession: Cde. Omole is a licensed, legal firearm owner. At the time of his arrest, he was unarmed. Police later searched his rented apartment, and the firearm was voluntarily handed over, along with the license. This is not a crime; it is harassment and a fabrication dressed as law. The Kenyan state's accusations - alleging that Cde. Omole attempted to kill the police, assaulted the police, and has connections with Nicolás Maduro in a supposed US drug cartel - all stem from his organizing a demonstration at the US Embassy demanding Maduro's release, which is a grotesque slander. This is a transparent attempt to criminalize dissent and political struggle. After abduction, torture, and illegal confinement, Comrade Omole is now being brought before the courts under heavy police control. They deny access to his supporters and isolate him, attempting to break his spirit and intimidate the movement. The American Communist Party demands the immediate and unconditional release of Booker Ngesa Omole. The attacks on Cde. Omole are part of an escalating campaign of repression against communists, socialists and anti-imperialists worldwide. This persecution reveals a pattern in which accountability yields to political power, a pattern witnessed throughout the world. We will continue to fight for his freedom and expose the injustices perpetrated against him. We call upon all progressive forces worldwide to join us in demanding an end to the political persecution of Booker Ngesa Omole.

International Department
American Communist Party (ACP)