The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, Honourable Reine Alapini-Gansou, wishes to express her concern regarding the acts of intimidations and death threats against David Calleb Otieno, Wilfred Olal and Ferdinand Manirerekana.
David Calleb Otieno is a member of the Coalition for Constitution Implementation – Kenya (CCI – Kenya), whose main goal is equitable access to social, cultural and economic services for all citizens. CCI–Kenya is also a member of the Burundi Solidarity Group, a group that has been documenting and denouncing human rights violations in Burundi. David Calleb Otieno has been coordinating the Burundi Solidarity Group and its activities in Kenya, while Wilfred Olal and Ferdinand Manirerekana have also contributed to its work through advocating against ongoing extra judicial killings in Burundi and engaging in on-line campaigns.
According to the information received, David Calleb Otieno, Wilfred Olal and Ferdinand Manirerekana received death threats in relation to the their work on the human rights situation in Burundi.
We are particularly concerned with the current situation, which not only endangers the moral and physical integrity of the human rights defenders David Calleb Otieno, Wilfred Olaland Ferdinand Manirerekana, but contributes to straining the peaceful work of other human rights defenders in the Republic of Kenya.
The Special Rapporteur wishes to remind the Government of Kenya its obligation to promote and protect the work of human rights defenders in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Grand Bay and Kigali declarations, as well as other international legal instruments ratified by the Republic of Kenya.
The Special Rapporteur wishes to call upon the Government of Kenya to intervene in the matter and ensure that thorough and impartial investigations are carried out into the allegations of death threats against David Calleb Otieno, Wilfred Olal and Ferdinand Manirerekana, and to ensure that other human rights defenders in Kenya are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
Done in Banjul, on 1 April 2016
Honourable Reine Alapini-Gansou
Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa
