We the Grassroot Human Rights Defenders condemns in the strongest terms possible the abduction and brutal murder of Human Rights Lawyer Willie Kimani, Josephat Mwenda his client and the taxi driver Joseph Muiruri by people believed to be police officers. The three were abducted on 23rd June 2016 as they left Mavoko law court in Machakos County.
As Grassroots Human Rights Defenders, we express our solidarity with Human Rights Advocate and Lawyer Willie Kimani, the taxi driver Joseph Muiruri and Willie’s client Josephat Mwendwa because just like them, we experience police harassment, Extra Judicial Executions, Arbitrary Arrests, Illegal Detention Without Trial, Criminalization and Smear Campaign on daily basis. Grassroots Human Rights Defenders who seek accountability from the police have been facing immence threats countrywide.
As a Human Rights Lawyer, Willie was one of the very few lawyers that took up cases of Police Harassment, Extra Judicial Executions and Torture at the Grassroots hence his brutal Murder is a big blow to our work as Grassroots Human Rights Defenders and also a big blow to war against Extra Judicial Executions and clamour for Police Reforms in general and it is our fear that if the perpetrators are not punished by Law, then we as Grassroots Human Rights Defenders will be at risk of being targeted by the said killer squads especially those working on the same issues like Willie. We pledge to do everything that will be needed of us to ensure Justice. The Grassroots Human Rights Defenders will not be intimidated by these cowardly acts but their death has just emboldened our resolve to seek justice for the victims of such hineous acts countrywide.
We shall attend all the court sessions related to this brutal murders and all other such cases in court starting with those that Willie was dealing with and we also call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the following to pave way for investigations:
1. Joseph Nkaissery, The Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Internal Security
2. Joseph Boinnet Inspector General of Police
3. Samuel Arachi Deputy Inspector General
4. The Officer Commanding Station – Athi River and his Administration Police counterpart
Finally, we the Grassroots Human Rights Defenders call upon all people of goodwill to join us tomorrow Monday the 4-07-2016 at 9am at Freedom Corner for a protest march to the Inspector General’s office, Supreme Court, Office of the President and Parliament.
Signed;
1. Rights Promotion & Protection Centre
2. Bunge la Mwananchi
3. Coalition for Constitutional Implementation
4. Coalition for Grassroot Human Rights Defenders
5. Kenyan Peasants League
6. Pan-African Grassroots Women Liberation
7. World March of Women Kenya
8. Mathare Social Justice Centre
9. Mashinani Institute of Social Justice
10. Bunge la Mwananchi Kangemi
11. Kamukunji Human Rights Defenders Network
12. Women Arising
13. Dandora Must Change Social Movement
14. The Change Movement Kenya
15. Wamama Sasa na Uongozi
16. Center for Rights, Education, Governance and Development
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