Threats to Victims, Human Rights Defenders meant to undermine justice for Post-Election Violence.

International Center for Policy and Conflict express concern on the deepen crisis in Kenya of human rights defenders and victims of post-election violence threats and intimidation. This is unacceptable and in contradiction of all human rights instruments ratified by Kenya. Threats are contributing to the stigmatization of human rights defenders in the country and raise grave concern about the protection and promotion of human rights in the Kenya as well as brining to justice those responsible for fragrant human rights violations.
It is not a coincidence that the threats are escalating when all indicators show that Members of Parliament and their accomplices have crafted an elaborate plan in Parliament to sabotage, undermine and defeat the enactment of the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2009 to establish the Special Tribunal for Kenya.

Further, the International Criminal Court has just formally issued public communication urging the victims to submit their evidence to the Court to enable successful proceedings in the Pre-Trial Chambers of the Court.

Government of Kenya stands complicit unless it unequivocally states its position on the Bill, commitment to fully cooperate with ICC including providing the requisite information requested by the Court and demonstrates tangible actions to protect human rights defenders and victims of post-election violence.

We urge the Kenyan Government to take all necessary steps to secure the right to freedom of opinion and expression of all persons, including human rights defenders, in accordance with fundamental principles as set forth in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reiterated in article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Furthermore, ICPC demands that the government should make an unequivocal public statement to the effect that there will be no attacks or intimidation, physical or otherwise, of human rights defenders and victims in Kenya.

ICPC believe that criminal accountability is the only way to put an end to impunity and political violence. It would act as an effective deterrence to politicians establishing and using militias for their own political gain and to the vicious manipulation of ethnic divides, all creating long-term grievances for short term political gains.

Human Right defenders should be free to condemn human rights violations, to express themselves freely, to carry out their investigative and legal work, to defend victims of violence, to protect the civilian population, to demand respect for International human rights law, and to promote sustainable peace through accountability and justice.

Signed by
Ndung’u Wainaina
Executive Director
International Center for Policy and Conflict
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L. Muthoni Wanyeki
Executive Director
Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC)