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A-G Accused of Ignoring UN
Convention On Torture
The East African Standard
(Nairobi)
February
23, 2004
Posted to the web February 23,
2004
Nairobi
Kenya risks
being suspended from the United Nations Convention Against Torture,
Kenya Human Rights Network (K-Hurinet) has said.
Speaking on
behalf of other K-Hurinet officials, Mr Kamanda Mucheke said this
was because Attorney-General Amos Wako has not submitted a single
report to the UN Committee Against Torture for the last seven
years.
"This is
despite several reminders and the fact that the A-G as a member of
the committee and has been flying to Geneva every year to review
other countries' reports," he said.
Seven years
since Kenya ratified the Convention Against Torture, no report has
been forwarded to the UN committee as required by the law.
He said torture
was still rampant in Kenya despite the fact that Kenya ratified
the convention, saying it was unfair for the Government to
continue rewarding known perpetrators.
Those mentioned
included Transport Minister John Michuki, Trade and Industry
assistant minister Petkay Miriti and National Security
Intelligence Service director of operations, Elias Mjomba.
Mucheke said
there was need for Kenya to pass a law on torture, saying police
officers accused of torturing suspects are only charged with
assault.
"The
officers who were charged with torturing the university don's (Dr
Crispin Mbai) murder suspect were only charged with a minor
offence of assault," he lamented.
He called on the
Government to protect torture victims and witnesses from police
intimidation.
"The
Government should form an independent investigative unit to look
into cases of torture and other violations by law enforcement
agents," he said.
Link : http://allafrica.com/stories/200402230440.html
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