IFJ Calls for Kenyan Government to Lift Ban on Media Immediately

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the Kenyan government to end its 10-day ban on live news reports as violence that erupted after President Mwai Kibaki was declared winner of the election subsided.

“This ban has been in place for more than a week as Kenya was rocked by terrible violence,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office. “This ban is not the way to solve the crisis. We call on the Kenyan government to lift this ban immediately and allow journalists to work in total freedom and security.”

On Sunday 30 December the Kenyan government ordered all live radio and television broadcasts suspended indefinitely after violent post-election protests raged in parts of the country, leaving more than 600 people dead and 100,000 displaced.

“Kenyan people need prompt, independent and impartial information at this critical time,” said Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of the Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA).

For further information contact the IFJ: +221 33 842 01 43
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in more than 120 countries