Freedom House Condemns Arrest of Peaceful Protestors in Kenya
The Kenyan government’s decision to prosecute 17 peaceful protestors on the spurious charges of breach of peace and disturbance after a demonstration to oppose parliamentary salary increases is in direct violation of the constitutional right of all Kenyans to peacefully assemble and is a serious abuse of the court process
On May 14, the 17 human rights activists participated in an “Occupy Parliament” protest against the newly inaugurated Parliamentarians’ demand for salary increases and subsequent threat to disband the Salaries and Remuneration Commission – a constitutionally mandated commission to set and periodically review salaries of state officers – if it does not comply with their demands. The protestors were tear-gassed, dispersed and brutalized outside Parliament before being arrested.
Freedom House condemns the arrest and subsequent arraignment to court of the activists and calls on the government to respect Kenya’s constitution, which guarantees that “every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities”. Furthermore, the government must fully investigate the excessive use of force against protestors and unconditionally terminate proceedings against the activists.
Freedom House Condemns the Arrest of Peaceful Protestors in Kenya
The Kenyan government’s decision to prosecute 17 peaceful protestors on the spurious charges of breach of peace and disturbance after a demonstration to oppose parliamentary salary increases is in direct violation of the constitutional right of all Kenyans to peacefully assemble and is a serious abuse of the court process.
On May 14, the 17 human rights activists participated in an “Occupy Parliament” protest against the newly inaugurated Parliamentarians’ demand for salary increases and subsequent threat to disband the Salaries and Remuneration Commission – a constitutionally mandated commission to set and periodically review salaries of state officers – if it does not comply with their demands. The protestors were tear-gassed, dispersed and brutalized outside Parliament before being arrested.
Freedom House condemns the arrest and subsequent arraignment to court of the activists and calls on the government to respect Kenya’s constitution, which guarantees that “every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities”. Furthermore, the government must fully investigate the excessive use of force against protestors and unconditionally terminate proceedings against the activists.