Journalists allege plot to shut down media, internet

Citing last Thursday's incident that he said documented more than 20 cases of attacks and violations against journalists, including harassment, arbitrary arrests, and physical attacks, the Editors Guild President demanded that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), the Inspector General of Police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) ensure accountability for all threats and violence against journalists through impartial, prompt, thorough and independent and effective investigations.

Kenya Media Sector Working Group also demanded that the Government commits to compensating journalists who were attacked and injured by police, including paying for their medical treatment and replacing damaged or lost equipment, failure to which media houses will consider giving a black out to all government events.

"We call upon them to bring to book the perpetrators behind attacks while ensuring access to effective remedies and compensation to the victims," Otieno said

The group gave the DPP, a seven-day ultimatum to deliver a statement on the status of the investigations and prosecution of those culpable.

They also called on Ipoa to update the country on the status of the investigation of police brutality against journalists.

"We hereby issue a seven-day ultimatum to the DPP to deliver a statement on the status of the investigation and prosecution of those culpable. We also ask the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to update the nation on the status of the investigation of police brutality against journalists," said Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) executive director Patience Nyange.

The group also asked media houses to ensure that there are clear safety and protection protocols before they deploy journalists to cover situations that are potentially violent as has been witnessed in the past two weeks and asked them not to be cowed from covering the demonstrations.

"We take great exception in the profiling of the media and blunt threats by the Deputy President, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, and the Inspector General of the Police. Such sentiments coming from offices with the prime responsibility of protecting the media are shocking and unfortunate. We call upon all actors in Kenya to stop profiling and attacking journalists as an attack on journalists is an attack on our democracy," Otieno said.

The Kenya Media Sector Working Group comprises of journalists and stakeholders from 17 bodies including, the Kenya Union of Journalists, AMWIK, the Political Journalists Association of Kenya, and the Kenya Parliamentary Journalists Association among others.

"We hereby issue a seven-day ultimatum to the DPP to deliver a statement on the status of the investigation and prosecution of those culpable. We also ask the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to update the nation on the status of the investigation of police brutality against journalists," said Patience Nyange, the executive director of Amwik as she called on the government to compensate journalists harmed while covering the Azimio demonstrations.