Amnesty International is the latest lobby group to criticise Kenyan authorities’ refusal to let lawyer Miguna Miguna into the country.
In a statement, Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director Irungu Houghton said: “The way Miguna was treated showed blatant disregard for his human rights, after the High Court ordered that he be allowed to re-enter the country.”
Irungu further condemned the attack on journalists at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday evening.
“The Kenyan Government must also respect and protect the right to freedom of expression and allow journalists to freely report on the case without harassment, intimidation or attacks,” Mr Houghton said.
The disregard for court orders and attacks on the media, he added, is steadily eroding the rule of law.
“The authorities must reverse these concerning trends and ensure that Miguna Miguna is allowed to enter his own country and be present at his hearing,” he said.
“They must also launch a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the unlawful use of force by the police to prevent journalists from doing their job.”