Front Line is deeply concerned following reports received of the arrests of human rights defenders Wafula Buke and Okoiti Omtata on 16 and 17 January 2008, respectively. Wafula Buke was a human rights officer with the Kenyan National Human Rights Commission from 1995 to 1999. He is still an active human rights defender. Okoiti Omtata is a publisher and columnist with Nation Newspaper.

Further Information

Posted 21/01/2008 On 16 January 2008, Wafula Buke was taking part in a demonstration in Nairobi when he was arrested and detained in Bungoma Police Station on charges of ‘causing a disturbance’. He was released later that day after he paid a police bond of Ksh.5,000. He appeared in court on 17 January 2008, where charges against him were dropped. He has reported that he is being followed by unknown men.

On 17 January 2008, Okoiti Omtata was arrested when he chained himself to the railings of the police headquarters in Nairobi, in protest at the extrajudicial killings reportedly committed by members of the police. He was taking part in a demonstration along with a group of civil society activists. According to an SMS message sent to colleagues by Okoiti Omtata, he was taken to Central Police Station, however police have not recorded his arrest and detention and are reportedly currently denying that he is being held there. Okoiti Omtata's phone was later confiscated by police. Despite the fact that it is not an offence in Kenya to chain oneself to the railings of a police station, Okoiti Omtata appeared in court on 19 January 2008 and was charged with ‘causing a disturbance’. Police dropped the charge of ‘attempted suicide’. He was previously arrested in September 2007 after having taken part, along with other civil society activists, in a demonstration to protest against an increase in salaries for members of the Kenyan parliament.

Front Line believes that Wafula Buke and Okoiti Omtata have been targeted as a result of their human rights activities.