[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__308083__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"308083","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/308083","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__308083__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__308083__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__308083__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-center embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--center\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/32034\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/foepresser3.jpg?itok=SgSssGkx 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/foepresser3.jpg?itok=Ib33l2Pg 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/foepresser3.jpg?itok=Ib33l2Pg\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022543\u0022 alt=\u0022An anti-riot police officer aims a teargas canister while journalists cover an anti-corruption protest in Kenya\u0027s capital, Nairobi. November 3, 2016. \u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003EAn anti-riot police officer aims a teargas canister while journalists cover an anti-corruption protest in Kenya\u0027s capital, Nairobi. November 3, 2016.\u00a0\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2016 REUTERS\/Thomas Mukoya\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EDuncan Khaemba, a television journalist in Kenya, was reporting on cases of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.the-star.co.ke\/news\/2017\/08\/12\/photos-gunshots-in-kibera-mathare-as-cops-disperse-post-election_c1615333\u0022\u003Eviolence in Kibera\u003C\/a\u003E, a low-income neighborhood in Nairobi, when he was arrested with his colleague Otieno Willis on August 12, and subsequently released. Media reported they were arrested for having \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.standardmedia.co.ke\/article\/2001251073\/ktn-reporter-duncan-khaemba-arrested-while-covering-kibera-protests\u0022\u003Ebullet-proof gear\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tWhether or not the arrest was designed to intimidate, it occurred during a period of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.apnews.com\/1454c2bf188d43a2bdb09fd7fb1b365d\u0022\u003Eintimidation faced by Kenyan press\u003C\/a\u003E before, during, and after the 2017 elections. Many journalists were slow to report on the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2017\/08\/11\/kenya-declares-uhuru-kenyatta-official-winner-tense-presidential\/\u0022\u003Eviolence that marred the announcement of results\u003C\/a\u003E, although the international press were able to report freely. Even as some protests in opposition strongholds and victory celebrations elsewhere turned violent, Kenyan media \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/news-desk\/kenyan-democracys-missed-opportunity\u0022\u003Ewas silent for the first 12 hours\u003C\/a\u003E, which left Kenyans grasping at unverified reports on social media.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tPeople are questioning the information vacuum: why did local press take so long to cover the violence, or corroborate online reports of police brutality? Before judging local media harshly, let\u2019s recall that Kenyan journalists still \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cpj.org\/2017\/08\/kenyan-journalists-harassed-detained-reporting-on-.php\u0022\u003Eface harassment\u003C\/a\u003E, detention, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/interview-crackdown-media-ahead-kenyas-2017-vote\u0022\u003Eand repression while reporting\u003C\/a\u003E on the country\u2019s crises.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tLocal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/ndula_victor\/status\/897114368806203392\u0022\u003Epress has had to walk a fine line\u003C\/a\u003E, facing accusations of bias from the opposition and government alike. In the post-election violence of 2007-2008, the media were \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/downloads.bbc.co.uk\/worldservice\/trust\/pdf\/kenya_policy_briefing_08.pdf\u0022\u003Eaccused of fueling violence\u003C\/a\u003E after broadcasting images of battles between police and youth in various parts of the country. In the 2013 elections, much of the Kenyan \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pambazuka.org\/governance\/elections-2013-how-media-failed-kenya\u0022\u003Emedia avoided reporting on unrest\u003C\/a\u003E that followed voting that year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tHuman Rights Watch \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/eWF3EVvVaDg\u0022\u003Espoke to journalists and bloggers in Kenya\u003C\/a\u003E ahead of the 2017 election and found that many of them are self-censoring to avoid getting in trouble with the state. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.standardmedia.co.ke\/m\/article\/2001249832\/mucheru-s-warning-to-media-houses-repugnant\u0022\u003EEditors spoke out against threats\u003C\/a\u003E in the lead-up to the election, but journalists continue to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2017\/05\/30\/interview-crackdown-media-ahead-kenyas-2017-vote\u0022\u003Eface undue harassment from police\u003C\/a\u003E and other state agents.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tAs an economic and political leader in East Africa, Kenya should end this suppression. The state should support free press to ensure that citizens critique important processes such as elections and their aftermath. Now more than ever, it is critical that the Kenyan government and other state authorities provide protection for press, investigate reports of intimidation, and ensure justice for crimes against journalists.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]