Just hours after the BBC aired a documentary exposing the June 2024 shootings at Parliament, Amnesty Kenya has launched a petition demanding a public inquiry into the matter.
Taking to social media, Amnesty Kenya Director Irungu Houghton urged Kenyans to watch the documentary, dubbed Bloody Parliament, and afterwards sign the petition published on its official website.
Houghton urged Kenyans not to just listen to the noise online but watch the documentary themselves and make their own informed decisions when signing the petition that seeks accountability from public officials.
"Despite the distraction caused by #BBCForChaos, the reality is that lives were lost and families were shattered. Only the DCI, ODPP and IPOA can give them justice. Watch #BloodParliament and sign the petition calling for a public inquiry on the #OccupyParliament protests," Amnesty stated.
At the organisation's website, they outlined further implications of the anti-finance bill 2024 protests that not only led to dozens of fatalities but also about 89 forced disappearances.
The BBC documentary, which featured interviews with vocal Kenyans during the protests, analysed thousands of images and videos, identifying a Kenya Defence Forces officer and another National Police Service officer causing shooting at the peaceful protestors.
This revelation has inevitably prompted an uproar, especially since both the KDF and NPS have remained mute over the documentary since its release on Sunday night.
According to Amnesty, joint investigations were conducted with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, the Independent Medico-Legal Unit, and Medics for Kenya, revealing several atrocities committed on June 25.
Some of the findings include that police fired live ammunition at unarmed protesters, resulting in at least six fatalities outside the parliament premises. Three of these killings were highlighted in the BBC documentary.
They also uncovered that authorities deployed tear gas, water cannons, and batons indiscriminately against protesters, bystanders, and medical personnel, leading to hundreds of injuries.
Finally, the investigations revealed the abductions of 89 individuals during the protests, with many still unaccounted for to date.
The organisation concluded the petition with a call to Kenyans, stating, "Sign this petition to urge the Government of Kenya to establish a Commission of Inquiry that will allow victims and other Kenyans to present evidence and investigate the June 25, 2024, police violence. This is a crucial step toward ensuring accountability for the unlawful use of force against protesters."
