Latest news with #stateviolence
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Armed gang attacks Kenya Human Rights Commission on eve of protests
An armed gang attacked the headquarters of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission on Sunday as it hosted a press conference calling for an end to state violence, an AFP journalist saw. The attack came on the eve of "Saba Saba Day" when Kenyans mark pro-democracy protests from the 1990s, and renewed unrest is expected on Monday. The east African country is once again facing a wave of violent protests over economic stagnation, corruption and repeated acts of police brutality under President William Ruto. The Kenyan Human Rights Commission was hosting a press conference calling for "an immediate end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings" when it was attacked by 20 men, some armed with sticks. "The gate was locked but they forced themselves in. They were attacking and robbing guys, saying: 'You are planning protests here'," said an AFP journalist at the scene. "Armed goons have attacked offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission," the Women's Collective, which helped organise the meeting, posted on X. At least 19 people were killed and thousands of businesses looted and destroyed in a day of nationwide protests on June 25. The government has been accused of deploying "goons" against protesters and political opponents. Hundreds of men on motorbikes armed with whips and clubs attacked a protest against police brutality in Nairobi on June 17. AFP journalists at the scene said they were operating with the protection of police. - 'Kenya feels fragile' - Urbanisation, improved education and the spread of social media have fuelled anger over the stagnant economy and poor governance in a country where around 80 percent are trapped in informal, poorly paid jobs. "Kenya feels much more fragile than it would have four or even three years ago," said Declan Galvin, Kenya-based analyst with Exigent Risk Advisory. "We have a much larger, urban, mainly youth population, who do not rely on ethnicity and tribalism" as they did in the past, he told AFP. Politically, Ruto still holds a strong position, having forged an alliance with the main opposition leader Raila Odinga, leaving no clear challenger ahead of the next vote in 2027. But each violent crackdown is fuelling further unrest, said activist Nerima Wako. "Every time people organise a protest, they kill more people, so it just continues to feed off itself," she said. Saba Saba Day marks the uprising on July 7, 1990 when Kenyans demanded a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi. Ruto cut his teeth as a youth organiser for Moi when those protests were violently suppressed. His government "seems to be trying to repeat the nineties, but we are not in the nineties," said Gabrielle Lynch, an African politics expert at Britain's University of Warwick. "They don't seem to have realised that the world is different. People are more politically aware, but also the communication environment has dramatically changed with the rise of social media," she added. "People don't have the same in-built fear of the state." bur-er/cw
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Armed gang attacks Kenya Human Rights Commission on eve of protests
An armed gang attacked the headquarters of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission on Sunday as it hosted a press conference calling for an end to state violence, an AFP journalist saw. The attack came on the eve of "Saba Saba Day" when Kenyans mark pro-democracy protests from the 1990s, and renewed unrest is expected on Monday. The east African country is once again facing a wave of violent protests over economic stagnation, corruption and repeated acts of police brutality under President William Ruto. The Kenyan Human Rights Commission was hosting a press conference calling for "an immediate end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings" when it was attacked by 20 men, some armed with sticks. "The gate was locked but they forced themselves in. They were attacking and robbing guys, saying: 'You are planning protests here'," said an AFP journalist at the scene. "Armed goons have attacked offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission," the Women's Collective, which helped organise the meeting, posted on X. At least 19 people were killed and thousands of businesses looted and destroyed in a day of nationwide protests on June 25. The government has been accused of deploying "goons" against protesters and political opponents. Hundreds of men on motorbikes armed with whips and clubs attacked a protest against police brutality in Nairobi on June 17. AFP journalists at the scene said they were operating with the protection of police. - 'Kenya feels fragile' - Urbanisation, improved education and the spread of social media have fuelled anger over the stagnant economy and poor governance in a country where around 80 percent are trapped in informal, poorly paid jobs. "Kenya feels much more fragile than it would have four or even three years ago," said Declan Galvin, Kenya-based analyst with Exigent Risk Advisory. "We have a much larger, urban, mainly youth population, who do not rely on ethnicity and tribalism" as they did in the past, he told AFP. Politically, Ruto still holds a strong position, having forged an alliance with the main opposition leader Raila Odinga, leaving no clear challenger ahead of the next vote in 2027. But each violent crackdown is fuelling further unrest, said activist Nerima Wako. "Every time people organise a protest, they kill more people, so it just continues to feed off itself," she said. Saba Saba Day marks the uprising on July 7, 1990 when Kenyans demanded a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi. Ruto cut his teeth as a youth organiser for Moi when those protests were violently suppressed. His government "seems to be trying to repeat the nineties, but we are not in the nineties," said Gabrielle Lynch, an African politics expert at Britain's University of Warwick. "They don't seem to have realised that the world is different. People are more politically aware, but also the communication environment has dramatically changed with the rise of social media," she added. "People don't have the same in-built fear of the state." bur-er/cw
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Armed gang attacks Kenya human rights commission
An armed gang attacked the headquarters of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission on Sunday as it hosted a press conference calling for an end to state violence, an AFP journalist saw. The press conference was being held ahead of Monday's 'Saba Saba Day', an annual commemoration of pro-democracy protests in the 1990s. 'The gate was locked but they forced themselves in. They were attacking and robbing guys, saying: 'You are planning protests here',' the journalist said. The Women's Collective Kenya, a grassroots rights movement, had helped organize the press conference to call for 'an immediate end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of their children for taking to the streets'. But the meeting had yet to start when the gang of around 20 people attacked, some armed with sticks, forcing many to flee for safety. 'Armed goons have attacked offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission,' the Women's Collective posted on X. Armed 'goons', as they are widely known in Kenya, have been deployed to attack protesters in recent weeks. Protesters marching against police violence on June 17 were attacked by hundreds of men on motorbikes armed with whips and clubs. AFP journalists at the scene saw them working with the apparent protection of police, and some openly said they had been paid by local government leaders. At least 19 people died on June 25 as another day of protests turned violent, with thousands of businesses looted and destroyed. There is deep resentment against President William Ruto over economic stagnation and corruption, and anger has been fueled by police killings and dozens of illegal detentions since large-scale protests first broke out in June 2024.
Al Jazeera
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Iranian film, It was Just an Accident, wins Palme D'Or at Cannes festival
An Iranian thriller film that explores corruption and state violence in the country has won the the Palme d'Or, the coveted top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. It Was Just an Accident, directed by dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, was crowned at the world-famous festival on Saturday, hours after a power outage briefly threw the event off course. The festival's crowd burst into a roaring standing ovation for Panahi, who has endured years of travel bans and prison terms in Iran due to his provocative cinema, often produced in secret. He had been banned from leaving Iran for more than 15 years. 'Art mobilises the creative energy of the most precious, most alive part of us. A force that transforms darkness into forgiveness, hope and new life,' said jury president Juliette Binoche when announcing the award. On stage, Panahi said what mattered most was the future of his country. 'Let us join forces,' Panahi said. 'No one should tell us what kind of clothes we should wear, or what we should or shouldn't do.' Partly inspired by Panahi's own experience in jail, It Was Just An Accident follows a man named Vahid (played by Vahid Mobasseri), who kidnaps a man with a false leg who looks just like the one who tortured him in prison and ruined his life. Vahid sets out to verify with other prison survivors that it is indeed their torturer, and then decide what to do with him. Critics have praised the film as a clever, symbolic exploration of justice that blends dark humour with its intense themes. The festival's Grand Prix, or second prize, was awarded to Joachim Trier's Norwegian family drama, Sentimental Value, his lauded follow-up to The Worst Person in the World. Kleber Mendonca Filho's Brazilian political thriller, The Secret Agent, won two big awards: best director for Fihlo and best actor for Wagner Moura. The jury prize was split between two films: Oliver Laxe's desert road trip, Sirat and Mascha Schilinski's German, generation-spanning drama, Sound of Falling.' Best actress went to Nadia Melliti for The Little Sister, Hafsia Herzi's French coming-of-age drama. Cannes also honoured Hasan Hadi's The President's Cake with a best first film award, marking the first time an Iraqi film has won an award at the festival. The Cannes closing ceremony took place after a major power outage struck southeastern France on Saturday, knocking out traffic lights and forcing businesses to close along the main shopping street in the Alpes-Maritimes holiday region. Police suspect arson as the cause. Geopolitical tensions were also a constant backdrop at the festival, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza and US President Donald Trump's proposal of tariffs on foreign-made films fuelling discussion. More than 900 actors and filmmakers signed an open letter denouncing the genocide in Gaza, according to the organisers.
