Report outlines human rights violations in Kenya during COVID-19 containment

Police in Kenya have reportedly killed ten people and used “excessive, arbitrary and unjustified force” while enforcing measures put in place by government in March to stop the spread of COVID-19.

This is according to a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

The report titled Pain and Pandemic: Unmasking the State of Human Rights in Kenya in Containment of Covid-19, also points to inequalities that various containment measures caused.

The rights body says it has received more than 200 complaints on human rights abuses in the last three months, 40% of which were against the police.

Other cases of human rights violations

This is the third report which has accused police of using excessive force to ensure that citizens adhere to government regulations on COVID-19.

Early this month, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority reported 15 deaths linked to the police in the country.

In April, Human Rights Watch accused the Kenya police of imposing a curfew in a “chaotic and violent manner from the start”.

The Health Ministry defended the tough laws but condemned violence meted out against citizens.

Police, who did attend the launch of the report, remained mum over its findings.

The European Union, which financially supported the survey, called on the Kenyan government to put in place humane ways to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Kenya currently has just over 6 000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The full report is contained in the document below:

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