Kenya: NTV Cameraperson Maureen Mureithi Hit by Police Water Cannon Protest
Mureithi suffered injuries needing hospitalization as multiple journalists injured during unrest
Location: Kenya, Nairobi
Date: June 18, 2024
Women Press Freedom condemns the police brutality directed at Maureen Mureithi and numerous journalists covering the Occupy Parliament demonstrations. Journalists, including Mureithi, suffered injuries inflicted by police during the outbreak of violence. Law enforcement must guarantee the safety of journalists and refrain from perpetrating assaults against them. Authorities must investigate all allegations of police misconduct. We extend our best wishes to Maureen Mureithi for a swift recovery from her injuries. As protests persist, we call upon the Kenyan police to conduct themselves responsibly, enabling journalists to carry out their duties without fear of violence or obstruction.
On June 18, 2024, Maureen Mureithi, a cameraperson for NTV, was injured while covering protests in Nairobi. The protests, organized under the banner 'Occupy Parliament' against the Finance Bill 2024, escalated into a confrontation with law enforcement.
Mureithi was struck by a police water cannon along Cardinal Otunda Street. A video of the incident, analyzed by Women Press Freedom, shows the journalist being carried by her colleagues, unable to walk after she was hit. The camerawoman required hospitalization for her injuries.
Concurrently, other journalists faced harassment from authorities; one was forcibly removed from the Parliament by police, who allegedly stated “No press allowed here." Others were reportedly arrested.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) strongly condemned the attacks and arrests of journalists covering protests in Nairobi. MCK CEO David Omwoyo criticized the police for allegedly abandoning their duty to protect journalists, instead resorting to harassment, assault, and arrests.
Women Press Freedom denounces the aggressive actions of police toward journalists, including Maureen Mureithi. We have documented several violations of Kenyan police assaulting reporters, including the tear gassing of journalists at a protest in 2023 and a brutal assault by a senior police officer on well-known radio host Angela Muiruri in 2020. Kenyan authorities must ensure officers guilty of targeting the press are prosecuted. We urge the state to review protocols for handling protests to ensure the safety of journalists and respect their rights to report without fear of violence or harassment. Immediate action must be taken to protect journalists, uphold press freedom, and ensure accountability for those responsible for harming members of the press.
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