Four young Kenyan men who went missing on Christmas Eve have been found alive, family members and human rights groups say.

Kenya has been gripped by a wave of disappearances, with state-funded human rights groups saying more than 80 people have been kidnapped in the past six months.

The kidnappings often target government critics and are widely believed to be the work of security agents, although the government has yet to admit responsibility.

They began last June during nationwide anti-tax protests but increased in December, when an AI-generated photo of the president in his casket was widely shared.

Among those released on Monday was Billy Mwangi, a 24-year-old student from Embu, a mountainous region in central Kenya.

Local MP Gitonga Mukunji told reporters that Mr Mwangi was “whipped and beaten in a dark room. He was traumatized”.

His father said he was unable to talk about what he had been through and was taken to hospital.

“He came home around eight in the morning. He was walking alone – his mother and I saw him. We are grateful to everyone who prayed for him and supported him,” he told the National Journal news website.

Mwangi’s father cried in court last week, pleading for his son’s release.

A relative of Peter Muteti, 22, who was arrested in the capital on December 21, told the BBC that he had been reunited with his family but was too confused to talk about the ordeal.

Amnesty International Kenya welcomed the releases and urged “the state to release all abductees and hold those responsible accountable”.

Two weeks ago, police denied responsibility for kidnappings carried out by plainclothes men across the country, some of which were captured on CCTV.

on Monday The latest news from the police It admitted the kidnapped man had been released and said they had made contact with a man who reported the crime at the police station.

Police said all missing persons cases are under investigation.

Human rights groups and other Kenyans have linked the kidnappings to a covert intelligence and counterterrorism unit of the security forces.

Amid public uproar, President William Ruto said last month: “We will stop kidnapping so that our young people can live in peace and be disciplined,” while urging parents to take care of their children.

No one has been released since his speech on December 27, and activists plan to hold protests on Monday to push the government to take action.

Two other young men – Ronny Kiplangat and Bernard Kaveli – have also been released, their families told local media.

Mr Kavuli, a content creator, was arrested on the outskirts of the city in December, while Mr Kiplangat, the brother of cartoonist Kibet Bull, remains missing.

Kibet Bull is known for his silhouetted cartoon memes criticizing the president. Two other people were arrested after posting an AI-generated image of the president’s coffin.

Police said Mr Kavuli had been assisting their investigations after reporting to the police station in Moi Bridge in western Kenya.

A statement said they would contact the other three “and their families and provide them with all necessary support as we seek further information to assist with the ongoing investigation”.

The Kenya Bar Association has launched legal proceedings against the country, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of seven people kidnapped last month, including those who have been released.

The situation continues to spark fear across the country, with parents concerned for their children’s safety and campaigners vowing to keep up the pressure until all missing people are found.