URGENT ACTION APPEALS - July 2009

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Urgent Action for Human Rights Defenders in Kenya

In response to member requests, on Monday, April 20, 2009, we sent out on behalf of ESCR-Net, an urgent action letter in defense of threatened human rights defenders in Kenya, demanding that the Kenyan government protect them and create meaningful mechanisms for accountability and justice.  

These demands were to:  (i) Establish a thorough and independent investigation into the killings of Mr. Oscar Kingara Kamau and Mr. George Paul Oulu in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal, apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law and ensure redress for families of the victims; (ii) Put an end to any act of harassment and guarantee the physical protection of all human rights defenders and witnesses of the crimes from increased levels of risks and threats accompanying last month's assassinations; (iii) Establish thorough and independent investigations into the alleged threats, harassment, assault and illegal detentions of human rights defenders in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law; (iv) Put forward impartial, independent internal and external accountability mechanisms for all security services, and ensure the utilization of those mechanisms to achieve individual legal accountability for all alleged human rights violations committed by members of the security services; (v) Restore fully and unequivocally the freedoms of assembly, association and expression suspended since early 2008, protected under the Kenyan constitution and international and regional law.  To view the letter, click here.


 

Guidelines for Urgent Action Appeals

After presentation and discussion at our General Assembly in Kenya and follow-up conversations with a drafting committee of members and the Secretariat, we have finalized the ESCR-Net Guidelines for Urgent Action Appeals. They will guide how the Network responds to members in need of urgent assistance. The Guidelines can be found here.

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