A/HRC/14/19
the Islamic Republic of Iran, in an effort to assist the Iranian people to hold an open
referendum. On 5 May 2009 he was reportedly subjected to beatings.
7.
Israel
28.
OHCHR has received information in relation to efforts by the Government of Israel
to decrease financial support available to human rights organizations working in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular those that cooperated with the United Nations
Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (A/HRC/13/55, para. 46). In addition, a group
of Israeli NGOs sent an open letter to senior officials of the Government of Israel, raising
concerns related to increasing assaults on human rights organizations, including those that
cooperated with the Fact-Finding Mission, and stating that senior Government officials and
Israeli security authorities, subsequent to the submission of the report of the Fact-Finding
Mission, have sought to undermine the legitimacy of and otherwise restrict the activities of
civil society organizations working on human rights. In a meeting with senior United
Nations officials in March 2010, Israel commented that these claims were without merit.
Israel indicated that NGOs, both domestic and international, were an active part of the
fabric of the country’s democracy and that there was no effort to “delegitimize” their
important work.
8.
Kenya
29.
The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions visited
Kenya from 16 to 25 February 2009. In his mission report (A/HRC/11/2/Add.6), the
Special Rapporteur said that “many of the human rights defenders who testified before the
Special Rapporteur during his mission were threatened and harassed by members of the
security forces and other Government officials. Two activists who had been particularly
active in reporting on police death squads were murdered just two weeks after the mission
ended. There has been a systematic attempt to silence criticism of Kenyan security forces”
(summary).
30.
More specifically, the Special Rapporteur has received the following information. In
the days preceding the arrival of the Special Rapporteur in Kenya’s Western Province,
representatives of the authorities told individuals not to speak with the Special Rapporteur
about police and military abuses, and only to mention abuses by an armed group, the Sabaot
Land Defence Force. On 17 February, officials told residents at one camp for internally
displaced persons that the food aid upon which they depended would be jeopardized if they
were critical of the military in their testimony to the Special Rapporteur.
31.
On 18 February, staff of the Western Kenya Human Rights Watch (WKHRW) in
Bungoma noticed the presence of intelligence officers outside their offices, where the
Special Rapporteur was conducting interviews with victims and witnesses. On the
following day, intelligence officers were outside the hotel where further interviews were
being conducted.
32.
On 19 February, officials visited the home of one representative of WKHRW (Eliu
Siyoi Tendet) and asked him for the list of people who had testified before the Special
Rapporteur. The military subsequently came to his home, but Mr. Tendet managed to
escape. Another representative of WKHRW, Job Wahdalia, also received calls from
officials asking for the names of those who testified. Mr. Wahdalia, Mr. Tendet and Eric
Wambasi of WKHRW and Taiga Wanyanja of the Muratikho Torture Survivor’s
Organisation all fled the area to ensure their safety. Subsequently, the families and
colleagues of each of them have been harassed as to their whereabouts.
33.
On 1, 2 and 4 March 2009, a week after the conclusion of the visit and after the
Special Rapporteur had brought the matter to the attention to the Ministry of Foreign
GE.10-13228
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