Johannesburg – CAGE Africa supports Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) in its call, alongside 20 other organisations that make up the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya, for a full and independent investigation into extrajudicial killings by police in Kenya. According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, out of 672 extrajudicial killings cases reported between 2013 and this year, only 46 have been taken to court with only five resulting in convictions. The call for an independent investigation gathered momentum earlier this month after the shooting in broad daylight of two young men, alleged thieves, in Eastleigh, a predominantly Somali Muslim suburb of Nairobi. The shooting, done execution style by a police officer who appeared to have received orders via radio as he killed, went viral and resulted in protests. According to human rights organisation Haki Africa, the majority of victims of extrajudicial killings by security forces in Kenya are Muslim. An Al-Jazeera documentary two years ago revealed the extent to which police in Kenya co-opt the ‘War on Terror’ to justify the extrajudicial killing of Muslims.
Feroze Boda, spokesperson for CAGE Africa, said:
“Regardless of whether or not these men were criminals or Muslim, they should have been arrested and given a fair trial. This is a basic principle of the rule of law. If these rights are not given to individuals, police become a law unto themselves, and terror reigns.” “That an officer thought it was fine to shoot two men in broad daylight in front of a crowd and that the killing was later justified by the Nairobi Police Commander demonstrates clearly the kind of impunity police officers in Kenya enjoy.” “Last year, CAGE Africa called for a full investigation into the killing of three young Muslim women by police at a police station in Mombasa. This recent extrajudicial killing shows that the impunity enjoyed by police under the banner of the ‘War on Terror’ may be facilitating other abuses. This poses a clear danger to Kenyan society.” CC image courtesy of Flickr - Amy the Nurse
<em>Johannesburg</em> – CAGE Africa supports Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) in its call, alongside 20 other organisations that make up the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya, for a <strong><a href="http://www.khrc.or.ke/images/docs/PoliceReformsWorkingGroup-KenyaPRWGurgesPresidentUhuruKenyattatoestablishjudicialcommissionofinquiryintoextrajudicialexecutions.pdf">full and independent investigation</a></strong> into extrajudicial killings by police in Kenya.
According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, out of 672 extrajudicial killings cases <strong><a href="https://citizentv.co.ke/news/rights-bodies-want-commission-formed-to-probe-extrajudicial-killings-162811/">reported</a> </strong>between 2013 and this year, only 46 have been taken to court with only five resulting in convictions.
The call for an independent investigation gathered momentum earlier this month after the shooting in broad daylight of two young men, alleged thieves, in Eastleigh, a predominantly Somali Muslim suburb of Nairobi.
The shooting, done execution style by a police officer who appeared to have received orders via radio as he killed, <strong><a href="http://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/news/did-eastleigh-police-officer-get-orders-from-above-to-kill-suspects-video/">went viral</a></strong> and resulted in protests.
According to human rights organisation Haki Africa, the <strong><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38239138">majority of victims</a></strong> of extrajudicial killings by security forces in Kenya are Muslim.
An Al-Jazeera documentary two years ago <strong><a href="http://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/KenyaDeathSquads/">revealed</a> </strong>the extent to which police in Kenya co-opt the ‘War on Terror’ to justify the extrajudicial killing of Muslims.
<h3>Karen Jayes, spokesperson for CAGE Africa, said:</h3>
“Regardless of whether or not these men were criminals or Muslim, they should have been arrested and given a fair trial. This is a basic principle of the rule of law. If these rights are not given to individuals, police become a law unto themselves, and terror reigns.”
“That an officer thought it was fine to shoot two men in broad daylight in front of a crowd and that the killing was later<a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/04/03/investigate-killing-two-nairobis-eastleigh"><strong> justified</strong> </a>by the Nairobi Police Commander demonstrates clearly the kind of impunity police officers in Kenya enjoy.”
“Last year, CAGE Africa <strong><a href="https://cage.ngo/press-release/cage-africa-calls-for-enquiry-into-police-killings-of-three-muslim-women-in-kenya/">called</a> </strong>for a full investigation into the killing of three young Muslim women by police at a police station in Mombasa. This recent extrajudicial killing shows that the impunity enjoyed by police under the banner of the ‘War on Terror’ may be facilitating other abuses. This poses a clear danger to Kenyan society.”
<em>CC image courtesy of Flickr - Amy the Nurse</em>
