NAIROBI, June 9, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A Kenyan man died in his cell after being arrested over a post on social media, police said, sparking condemnation from supporters and rights group Amnesty International on Sunday.

Albert Ojwang's death came weeks before the anniversary of deadly unrest in protests against tax rises and corruption, which sparked a crackdown on critics by President William Ruto's government.

Police said in a statement that Ojwang had been arrested for a "false publication" and suffered head injuries after striking his head against a cell wall.

"Police officers on duty promptly noticed the injuries and rushed him to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival," the statement said.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) launched an investigation into the incident, it added.

Amnesty International said Ojwang's death in custody on Saturday "must be urgently, thoroughly and independently investigated".

Security forces are accused by rights groups of killing at least 60 people during the demonstrations in June 2024 and abducting dozens more in the aftermath.

Amnesty said Ojwang's death was "a stark reminder" of the need for deep reform of Kenya's police.

The death sparked outrage among Ojwang's supporters online.

"We demand answers. This death cannot be swept under the rug. How many more young lives must we lose to this rotten system?" journalist Lynn Ngugi wrote on X.

On June 3, a Kenyan software developer, Rose Njeri, was charged with breaching cybercrime laws for creating a website to mobilise opposition to a new finance bill.