Kenya: World Press Freedom Day 2021 – attacks against journalists continue
Summary
Today, on World Press Freedom Day, Article 19 Eastern Africa, highlights just a few of the cases of attacks against journalists that have occurred since the last World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2020.
On 24 April 2021, police beat and injured nine journalists in Makumi, Mbeere South, Embu County. The journalists were covering a story regarding the forceful eviction by police officers of families from a contested land, said to belong to Tana and Athi River Development Authority (TARDA). This was the second time police beat journalists covering stories over the same disputed land. On 13 May 2020, police assaulted and arrested three journalists reporting on a demonstration by residents over the demarcation of the land claimed by TARDA.[1] In the two incidents, the arrested journalists were later released without charge.