URGENT- Global Petition - Add Your Name to Joint Women’s Statement on Kenya

• For the dismissal of all charges against these civil society advocates, known here as the ‘Kenyan Group of Seven.’
• On the Prime Minister and other reformers in government to issue a public statement denouncing these violations of Kenyan law, in his role as Prime Minister coordinating all activities of government.
• On Kenyan authorities, including President Kibaki, the Prime Minister and Parliament, and prominent political leaders to publicly support the democratic voice, right of assembly and peaceful protest by citizens in Kenya.
• On Kenyan’s high political, legal, civil society and police leaders to publicly condemn these acts of violence, including sexual violence of any kind against women and children.
• On Kenyan authorities to immediately arrest the accused policemen, including senior and junior officers, and prosecute them for charges of ‘grievous bodily harm’ and ‘indecent sexual assault’ respectively. Since many people publicly witnessed the arrests and beatings of the Group of Seven, the identities of the accused police are publicly known. The government thus does not require an lengthy investigation into who was involved, but should move to arrest and prosecute them. Kenya’s police must uphold the law, and be prosecuted for breaking the law.
• Kenya’s government and police to carry out a thorough and transparent investigation into their roles and responsibility in these attacks via prosecution, and to make these findings public. Transparency in government is a critical element of democracy.
• For the immediate resignation of the Kenyan Commissioner of Police, General Ali, who is accused of overseeing the violent beatings, sexual violations, and arrests of the Kenyan Group of Seven.
• For  President Kibaki to relieve said Commissioner of his duties should he fail to resign forthwith. While taking his oath of office, President Kibaki swore to protect the Constitution while guaranteeing safety to all Kenyans.
• For the immediate suspension of deputy police spokesman Charles Wahongo, who engaged protesters in a heated argument outside Vigilance House on July 8 before police began their attacks on the group, and a transparent investigation into his role and responsibility. 
• For the immediate suspension of the commanding officer at Police Station Gigiri who failed to record the complaints of arrested activists when asked to do so into the Police docket, according to standard operating procedure, preventing any official registry of the crimes.
• On Kenyan high officials accused of illegal profiteering and corruption in the case of the Grand Regency Hotel to resign or be relieved of their duties until a full and transparent government inquiry into the matter had been completed, and these findings made public.
• On the government and its officials including the police to uphold the rule of law in Kenya, without fear or favor, to perpetrators of crime, and that Grand Corruption be investigated and prosecuted as a major barrier to social justice in Kenya.  
• On the European Union, African Union, United Nations member-states and the United States State Department to issue public statements condemning the ongoing use of violence by police against these Kenyan democracy activists, including sexual violence, and to urge Kenya, as a member-state, to support the rule of law there, including citizens’ right of assembly, and to uphold its laws on rape.

Signed,

.      Athena Network

NOTE: More signatures are being added and this petitoin may not reflect the latest tally. To add your signature, email your NAME/ORGANIZATION, AFFILITION, COUNTRY to: weactx@gmail.com Attn: Kenya Petition.

NOTE: Add your name before Aug. 3 to be included in statement that will be submitted to Kenyan authorities.