- Thread starter
- Staff
- #1
Dadparvar
Staff member
- Nov 11, 2016
- 9,778
- 0
- 6
The United Nations (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concerns on Tuesday regarding the violence and death toll during popular protests that occurred in Kenya on July 7. The office urged Kenyan authorities to investigate the violent incidents that resulted in fatalities among civilians, and called for adherence to international human rights laws regarding the use of force by law enforcement officials.
The OHCHR highlighted the number of deaths and injuries among protesters as well as the looting and destruction of property by unidentified individuals during clashes with security forces in the capital, Nairobi, and other cities. The OHCHR indicated that at least 10 people were killed and over 80 were injured, including both civilians and police officers. Additionally, the UN office noted that security forces employed lethal ammunition, along with rubber bullets and tear gas, to control the protests.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on Kenyan authorities to investigate the reported deaths and the violent incidents that occurred during the protests. He emphasized the importance of holding accountable those responsible for the violence and urged the Kenyan government to refrain from using force, in accordance with international human rights laws governing the use of force by law enforcement agents. Finally, Türk stressed the need for the government to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, while addressing the root causes of the protests. He reminded the Kenyan authorities that the OHCHR stands ready to support them in addressing these challenges and investigating the reported violence.
According to the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, authorities and law enforcement agencies must carefully assess and control the deployment of non-lethal weapons. The fourth principle states that law enforcement officials may use firearms only when strictly necessary and if other means would be ineffective. In such cases, officials are required to follow the guidelines outlined in the fifth principle, which includes the obligation to act proportionately to the severity of the offense and to minimize damage and injury to individuals.
The OHCHR’s statement came one day after a mass demonstration took place in Kenya, commemorating the July 7, 1990 protest, which called for the end of the one-party state. This event was the latest in a series of violent protests that have escalated since the death of activist Albert Ojwang, who was found dead in police custody in June. His death sparked mass protests reminiscent of the 2024 demonstrations against tax increases proposed by the government in the 2024 Finance Bill, which have expanded to include police violence and the corruption of government officials.
The post UN expresses concerns over use of violence in recent Kenya protests appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.
The OHCHR highlighted the number of deaths and injuries among protesters as well as the looting and destruction of property by unidentified individuals during clashes with security forces in the capital, Nairobi, and other cities. The OHCHR indicated that at least 10 people were killed and over 80 were injured, including both civilians and police officers. Additionally, the UN office noted that security forces employed lethal ammunition, along with rubber bullets and tear gas, to control the protests.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on Kenyan authorities to investigate the reported deaths and the violent incidents that occurred during the protests. He emphasized the importance of holding accountable those responsible for the violence and urged the Kenyan government to refrain from using force, in accordance with international human rights laws governing the use of force by law enforcement agents. Finally, Türk stressed the need for the government to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, while addressing the root causes of the protests. He reminded the Kenyan authorities that the OHCHR stands ready to support them in addressing these challenges and investigating the reported violence.
According to the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, authorities and law enforcement agencies must carefully assess and control the deployment of non-lethal weapons. The fourth principle states that law enforcement officials may use firearms only when strictly necessary and if other means would be ineffective. In such cases, officials are required to follow the guidelines outlined in the fifth principle, which includes the obligation to act proportionately to the severity of the offense and to minimize damage and injury to individuals.
The OHCHR’s statement came one day after a mass demonstration took place in Kenya, commemorating the July 7, 1990 protest, which called for the end of the one-party state. This event was the latest in a series of violent protests that have escalated since the death of activist Albert Ojwang, who was found dead in police custody in June. His death sparked mass protests reminiscent of the 2024 demonstrations against tax increases proposed by the government in the 2024 Finance Bill, which have expanded to include police violence and the corruption of government officials.
The post UN expresses concerns over use of violence in recent Kenya protests appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.