Vol. 514 No. 1
139 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if human rights activists in Kenya are under threat; if the Release of Political Prisoners Organisation in Nairobi continues to be harassed by the authorities following the death in suspicious circumstances of its secretary general some years ago; and the approaches, if any, made to the Government of Kenya bilaterally or through the EU in relation to its human rights record. [3734/00]
The Government attaches particular importance to the right of individuals or groups engaged in the defence of human rights to conduct their work without fear of harassment or persecution. Many human rights organisations are active in Kenya and are able to function normally and, in 1999, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch were permitted to visit Kenya unimpeded. However, there are disturbing reports of periodic harassment of some organisations by official bodies.
The Release of Political Prisoners Organisation is a human rights NGO based in Nairobi which conducts research and public campaigns on torture, ill-treatment, prison conditions, land rights, death penalty and political prisoners. According to Amnesty International, police surveillance on the office of the RPP has increased since last October. I am also aware of reports of the disruption of RPP workshops by the police.
The Government and our EU partners remain concerned about the human rights situation in Kenya. My predecessor paid an official visit to Kenya last November and during a meeting with President Moi discussed human rights problems in Kenya. In co-operation with our EU partners we will continue to monitor closely the human rights situation in Kenya and, in particular, the position of human rights activists.
