ICC supporters harassed, rights group claims

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are facing crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court. PHOTO/FILE 

In Summary

• There has been increased threats and intimidation of human rights defenders especially those supporting the ICC trials
• The government should make clear that it won’t tolerate intimidation and violence against those who speak their minds

A human rights organsiation has claimed that people perceived to support the International Criminal Court (ICC) cases against two Kenyan leaders are being harassed.

Human Rights Watch on Friday alleged that there has been increased threats and intimidation of human rights defenders especially those supporting the ICC trials of President Uhuru Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto and former radio journalist Joshua Sang.

The three face charges of crimes against humanity for their alleged roles in Kenya’s 2007-2008 post-election violence.

“Kenyan authorities should immediately condemn this trend. The authorities should investigate and prosecute threats, intimidation, and killings of human rights defenders,” Mr Daniel Bekele, the Human Rights Watch Africa director said in a statement.

Mr Bekele said the threats and intimidation of human rights defenders, meddling with witnesses and the heinous killing of two prominent rights activists highlighted the worsening environment for human rights defenders in Kenya.

He added: “President Kenyatta needs to assure the world that his government will protect people who are active in the community and ensure that those responsible for threats and intimidation against human rights defenders are held to account.”

He cited recent allegations by the former chairman of Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Mr Maina Kiai that some people had threatened to burn down his home after it was reported in some blogs that he will testify before the ICC.

“The government should make clear that it won’t tolerate intimidation and violence against those who speak their minds,” he added.

Beyond the ICC issue, Mr Bekele said the broader environment for human rights defenders in Kenya appeared to have worsened.

He claimed in the last two months, a prominent human rights lawyer in the western town of Bungoma and a human rights activist in Moyale in Kenya’s North Eastern region were shot dead by unidentified assailants.

“These killings may be part of a wider attack on civil society. The government should show that it is ready to reverse this trend by ensuring that police investigators can get to the bottom of the killing of these human rights defenders, and by protecting other activists who face threats,” he said.