Commonwealth lawyers condemn Police brutality in Kenya
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Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) condemns police brutality meted on protesters during anti-government demonstrations
Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) condemns police brutality meted on protesters during anti-government demonstrations.
On Wednesday, July 26, lawyers associated with the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), which has members in 56 nations, denounced the brutality with which the police treated protesters during the anti-government demonstrations organized by the Azimio coalition.
The CLA said in a statement that it had been keeping tabs on developments in the nation and was worried by media accounts showing police officers employing excessive force, which ultimately caused severe injuries and, in some cases, fatalities.
“Article 37 of the Kenyan constitution guarantees that “every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.”
“This right must be upheld and respected by those in authority. The Kenyan police service also has a duty to maintain law and order without using excessive force against civilians,” the statement read in part.
In a broader international context, the CLA pointed out that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association under Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The lawyers emphasized that any democracy’s foundation is freedom of assembly.
Seemingly, the lawyers expressed concerns and reiterated their support for all victims of police brutality in Kenya.
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They requested that the Kenyan government uphold the right to freedom of assembly.
The lawyers further demand that the government make it a priority to prevent the Kenyan police from using excessive force on unarmed individuals.
“Take appropriate action against all the members of the police service who committed criminal acts against Kenyan citizens. The police uniform should not provide protection against accountability,” the lawyers urged.
In conclusion, the lawyers called on the government to uphold the Kenyan Constitution, in particular Article 37, and the rule of law at all times.
The Commonwealth Lawyers Association has been at the forefront of promoting and maintaining the rule of law throughout the Commonwealth countries which Kenya is part of.
CLA’s statement came even as the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) reported that police killed six protesters and arrested more than 300 on July 19, 2023, during the anti-government protests.
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