10,000 reach out for Kenya

Amnesty International delivered over 10,000 petitions to representatives of the Kenyan leaders President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga on Thursday.

People across the world signed up for the Reach Out for Kenya day of action on 27 February. The petitions called for an end to the post-election violence in Kenya and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice in fair trials.

"This was the last step in this International Day of Action. More than 10,000 petitions were collected, more than 6,000 people signed up on the Reach Out for Kenya Facebook group and there were public actions organised by Amnesty International sections in 12 countries," said Dave Copeman, Amnesty International's campaigner for Kenya, who handed over the petitions.

A total of 10,753 petitions were presented to the Kenyan authorities on Thursday 27 March, one month after the day of action.

"This was the evidence of worldwide concern at the terrible political and ethnic violence and the excessive use of force by the police, that followed the elections," said Dave Copeman.

"I also communicated that our concerns remain. While the violence has abated, many of its victims remain in displaced camps, still not safe to return home. Barely a handful of those responsible have been brought before a court and charged. This impunity must be stopped."

Amnesty International has called on the Kenyan government and all political parties to ensure that all allegations of human rights abuses and violations are investigated and that suspected perpetrators are held accountable through trials that comply with international standards. 

"For now, the violence has ended. Now, our challenge will be to hold the political leaders of Kenya to their commitments that the impunity for this violence will also end," said Dave Copeman.

Amnesty International has launched a new online action for members of the Facebook Reach out for Kenya group. Images for Impunity! will encourage members to come up with original and artistic ways of illustrating the slogan: End Impunity in Kenya!