Hold inquiry into police torture in EAC, Karua urges UN

People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua,at Karen Hospital after visiting Juja MP George Koimburi who is admitted after he was allegedly abducted and tortured. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

The People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has asked the international community to reign in on East African presidents, accusing them of violating the rights of their citizens.

Karua, who was among those refused entry into Tanzania recently, called for an end to illegal detentions and torture in the region.

“The world must demand an immediate halt to political repression in East Africa, the release of all political prisoners and accountability for state sponsored torture and abductions, and a free and fair elections where the people’s choices are respected,” said Karua.

She called on the African Union, through the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the UN Human Rights Council to establish a commission of inquiry into human rights abuses in the region.

Karua also urged the international community to impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for unlawful arrests, torture and detention in East Africa.

She stated that the organisation that invited her to Tanzania had filed a case against the  authorities with the East African Law Society, intending to challenge her deportation in the country's courts.

“While living their freedom as individuals, I’ll tell you that the organisations that are determined, especially the host organisations that had invited us to the observation mission, I know the East African Law Society is filing an action against the authorities in Tanzania in the first instance, in the Tanzanian court,” said Karua.

Karua, retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and other activists were deported when they landed in Dar es Salaam to attend the hearing of Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges.

Activist Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire of Uganda recently recounted their ordeal in the hands of Tanzanian police before the two were dumped at border points.

Karua alleged collusion between Kenya and Tanzanian authorities. “There is no way we could have been deported. Remember Ruto is the chair of East Africa Community at the moment? That lapse at the airport of one hour before they came to tell us we were going to be deported. They were communicating with Kenya,” said Karua.

“Kenya must have given a wink for them to deport us. When they said they were releasing Boniface and Agather, that lapse between the time they would have been deported on the 19th and when torture set in, there must have been communication .” 

Karua also described President Ruto’s apology as evidence of complicity.

“Why is he apologising to Tanzania when his national, Boniface Mwangi, has come brutalized? What sort of apology is this? Short of thanking President Samia for torturing his citizens.”