- International and national organisations have warned of possible internet and mass media disruptions during the week.
- The group called on the government to uphold freedoms enshrined in Kenya's Constitution.
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A group of national and international organisations has cautioned the government against censoring or restricting access to social and mass media during this week’s protests against punitive tax proposals.
The group called on the government to uphold freedoms enshrined in Kenya's Constitution and international human rights standards.
“We call upon the government and the Communications Authority to affirm that the people of Kenya can access an open, reliable, secure and free internet and a free press at a time when they need it the most,” the organisations said in a statement.
The 27 international organisations and Kenyan associations of content creators, lawyers, medical officers and human rights defenders warned of possible internet and mass media disruptions during the week.
“The internet and mass media are critical for the enjoyment of the public's right to be informed, citizen's self-expression, e-commerce and the digital economy that is responsible for close to 10 per cent of the GDP,” they said.
The group said shutting down or throttling the internet, shadow-banning hashtags or a mass media ban on live reporting would be a gross violation of fundamental human rights.
“It will undermine the legitimate rights of people to organize, demonstrate and participate in policymaking processes,” the statement read in part.
The group comprised Access Now, Amnesty International Kenya, Article 19 Eastern Africa, the Law Society of Kenya, The Police Reforms Working Group, the Bloggers Association of Kenya, the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Kenya Medical Association.
It said disrupting mass communication will also increase national uncertainty, cut off the public and authorities from reliable updates, and choke the timely deployment of emergency medical services and tracing of missing persons.
“Internet shutdowns also halt online transactions, slow down economic activity and cause economic harm,” the group added.
The group further said internet and mass media disruptions severely restrict human rights monitoring and reporting of government security operations as documented in the ACCESS 2023 report.
“Total or partial internet shutdowns are becoming familiar Government strategies of responding to public protest. They also cover up grave violations of human rights state-sanctioned violence against peaceful protestors, abductions and killings,” the group stated.
It said Kenyan authorities are obligated to protect the right to right to conscience, opinion, and self-expression association as enshrined in law and international frameworks to which they are party.