SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE IN KENYA FOR FACT-FINDING MISSION

HR/99/91
20 September 1999


The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the question of torture, Sir Nigel Rodley, is undertaking a fact-finding mission to Kenya from 20 to 30 September 1999 at the invitation of the Government.

The Special Rapporteur has requested to meet with, among other Kenyan Government officials, the Head of State, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister for Health, the Minister of State in charge of Internal Security, the Chief Justice of Kenya, the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner of Prisons, the Head of the Civil Service and the Standing Human Rights Committee. He will also meet with various non-governmental organizations and with private individuals. The Special Rapporteur is scheduled tentatively to visit the cities of Nairobi, Nakuru and Garissa. In each city he will meet local police officials and visit police lock-ups and other places of detention.

Sir Nigel was first appointed Special Rapporteur in 1993; his mandate was extended by resolution 1998/38 of the Commission on Human Rights in 1998 for a further three years. He has previously carried out fact-finding missions to the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Colombia, Pakistan, Chile, Portugal with respect to the territory of East Timor, Venezuela, Mexico,Turkey, Romania and Cameroon. Sir Nigel is a Professor of Law at the University of Essex in Colchester, England.