The Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) have condemned the attack by armed goons on a press conference by Kenyan mothers hosted by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).
The group said the attack is an act of intimidation and targeting of journalists, human rights defenders, and vulnerable women and children.
They said it represents a grave assault on Kenya's constitutional freedoms and democratic principles.
This follows an attack at the KHRC offices that disrupted a press conference by Kenyan mothers on the eve of Saba Saba.
The gathering of nearly 100 individuals, including mothers and children of the fallen and disappeared, human rights defenders, was holding a press conference with members of the local and international press attending.
LSK and PRWG said the purpose of the gathering was to call for accountability and justice for those who have died, disappeared and injured.
“The presser was also to call for the de-escalation of violence witnessed across the country. Shockingly, this exercise of democratic expression was violently disrupted by at least 50 masked individuals, armed with rungus and pickaxes,” they said in a statement.
According to them, the goons invaded the premises, issuing threats that forced the immediate dispersal of the gathering to prevent further violence and potential harm.
The LSK, Police Reforms Working Group demanded an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the incident.
They also want them to guarantee the safety and security of journalists, human rights defenders, women, and all citizens exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association.
They added that the attack follows a concerning pattern of targeting the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
The group said journalists must be allowed to report freely and safely without fear of reprisal or violence.
“Human Rights Defenders play a crucial role in holding power accountable and advocating for justice. The deliberate targeting of HRDs, especially those working on sensitive issues like police accountability and extrajudicial killings, creates a chilling effect and undermines the critical space for civil society.”
They condemned the attack on the presence of mothers and children, many of whom are traumatized by the loss or abduction of their loved ones.
