Freezing of accounts of human rights organisations for alleged links with terrorism

10 April 2015

On 8 April 2015, human rights organisations Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) and Haki Africa, had their accounts frozen over alleged suspicions of funding terrorism.

MUHURI is a Muslim organization which has been involved in promoting good governance and respect for the human rights of marginalized groups since 1997. Haki Africa is a human rights organisation working on social and economic rights. In the past, the members of MUHURI have reported being harassed and intimidated as a result of their human rights work. Members of the Muslim community in Kenya are regularly targeted by the security services in the name of the War on Terror, and accused of supporting Al-Shabab terrorist activities.

According to Gazette Notice 2326 of 7 April 2015, the Inspector General has listed both MUHURI and Haki Africa amongst 85 individuals and institutions that are to be notified of the intention to list them as a ''terrorist entity'' under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2012. The organisations were given 24 hours to demonstrate why they should not be declared as ''terrorist entities''. However, both human rights organisations reported only learning of the notice through the media after the 24-hour deadline had passed, leading to the freezing of their bank accounts.

These measures come in the wake of the massacre of 147 people, a majority of the victims being students, perpetrated at Garissa University College by Somalia-based Al-Shabab islamist group, on 2 April 2015.

Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned at the measures imposed on Muslims for Human Rights and Haki Africa, two legitimate and highly respected human rights groups, and believe that they are directly linked to their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Kenya to:

1. Immediately remove Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) and Haki Africa from the terrorist list, and unfreeze their accounts, as these measures seem to be solely motivated by their human rights activities;

2. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Kenya are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.