Update: May 12, 2006
Original Alert: February 28, 2006
Chaacha Mwita, The Standard
Dennis Onyango, The Standard
Ayub Savula, The Standard
IMPRIONED, LEGAL ACTION
Mwita, Onyango, and Savula of Kenya’s independent daily The Standard appeared in court on March 2, 2006, after 48 hours in police detention. They were charged with publishing “alarming statements” and released on bail.
The three journalists were arrested after The Standard published an article describing behind-the-scenes political maneuvering between President Mwai Kibaki and a dissident member of his ruling NARC coalition.
The journalists appeared in court the same day Kenyan government security forces carried out raids on The Standard and a television station owned by the Standard Group, temporarily disabling both media outlets.
For more information about this case, see CPJ’s news alert: http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/africa/kenya28feb06na.html.