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Kenya urged to prosecute those responsible for post-election violence

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Kenyan government must address impunity for human rights violations committed by police and security forces during the December 2007 post-election violence, Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan urged Friday upon the conclusion of her visit to Kenya. Khan also said that Kenya must undertake reforms to ensure justice in the court systems, as well as reforms in the police and security sectors "to make forces more effective and accountable." Khan's urgent recommendations also included making sure that the truth, justice, and reconciliation process does not become "a substitute for prosecution of individuals responsible for past human rights abuses," and that witnesses and human rights defenders are protected to ensure a meaningful, working justice system. During her visit, Khan met with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and five senior members of the cabinet, and called for the government to rise to focus on building consensus rather than political division to accomplish reform. On Thursday, former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan told the BBC that Kenya has until the end of August to establish a tribunal to try the leaders behind the 2007 post-election violence or he will be forced to give the International Criminal Court (ICC) a sealed list of key suspects for prosecution. Annan's announcement is the second extension granted to Kenya after the Kenyan Parliament rejected in February the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2009 and the Special Tribunal for Kenya Bill, 2009, which sought to establish a special tribunal for those purposes.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on June 14, 2009 (boomark / email).