Amnesty International-Kenya is now looking to observe protests in a bid to protect citizens as they take part in their right to picket.
The human rights lobby announced that it has deployed 15 volunteer protest observers across seven counties in Kenya.
"We're thrilled to announce the deployment of 15 volunteer protest observers across seven counties: Turkana, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Uasin Gishu," Amnesty said on its social media page.
Amnesty said the 15 volunteers were carefully selected and they underwent a two-day intensive protest observation training in Nairobi.
The training was led by experts from Amnesty and human rights veterans Njeri Kabeberi and Paddy Onyango.
Amnesty said the observers will be on the ground documenting firsthand events of the protests.
" This includes police interactions with protesters at marches, rallies, and assemblies. Their mission: to identify good practices, abuses, and any failures by authorities to respect, protect, and fulfil Article 37 of the Constitution," the lobby said.
Amnesty said the observers will ensure factual and reliable documentation of interactions between protesters, police, and counter-protesters.
Additionally, the observers' reports will facilitate verification and ultimately hold relevant actors accountable for human rights violations.
"By being physically present at protests and assemblies, our observers play a crucial role in highlighting how state actors discharge or fail to discharge their obligations under international, regional, and national human rights laws and standards," Amnesty said.
The lobby termed the deployment of independent protest observers as a powerful demonstration of their solidarity, support, and partnership with those advocating for human rights.
Amnesty said it is committed to ensuring accountability for any violations committed by the state against protesters.
" Our observers' presence is a step towards upholding the right to protest and protecting our fundamental freedoms. Stay tuned for updates from our observers on the ground."
