Janice Muchemi, the advocate who won the Scottish Bar International Human Rights Award
A Kenyan advocate has won the Scottish Bar International
Human Rights Award for fighting for human rights and representing victims of
sexual offences.
Janet Muchemi was presented with the award on Wednesday at
Edinburgh, Scotland, by the Faculty of Advocates, an independent body of Scottish
advocates.
Muchemi trumped 39 other applicants from North, Central and
South America, East and South Asia, Oceania, Africa and Europe to scoop the
award.
The applicants included lawyers, journalists, youth
activists, and artists, some working in their own countries while others were
living in exile.
Lord Bonomy, the chairperson of the selection panel, said
Muchemi stood out from the other applicants for representing victims of
violence against women and children, and victims of police abuse of power
through the criminal justice system.
“But her work is not confined to the courts. She also
promotes reforms to policy and practice to accommodate the plight of victims
and is engaged in advocacy programmes to promote awareness of victims’ rights
so as to protect the poorest and most vulnerable members of society against
abuse,” he said.
While presenting the award, Lord Bonomy said human rights
lawyers and defenders play a vital role as more people continue to live in
countries with a weakened rule of law.
Muchemi was admitted to the bar in 2015 before joining the International
Justice Mission Kenya, where she has been actively engaging in litigation
practice.
She has represented numerous sexual offence survivors and was
among the team of lawyers representing IJM and families in the murder case of
lawyer Willie Kimani, who was killed in 2016 alongside his client
Josephat Mwenda and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri in Mavoko, Machakos.
In 2022, three police officers, Fredrick leliman, Stephen
Cheburet and Silvia Wanjiku, and a civilian informant, Peter Ngugi were sentenced
to varying jail terms for the murder.
While accepting the award, Muchemi said she was deeply
honoured to be this year’s recipient of the award, commending the Faculty for
organising an insightful programme that allowed her to engage with other
passionate experts working in the human rights sector.
“Each of these experiences has been transformative. I leave
Edinburgh with a fresh perspective on what a responsive and people-centred justice
system can look like”.
“My hope is renewed. The knowledge, encouragement, and
inspiration I have received here will go a long way in strengthening our
mission to reform the justice system in Kenya, so that it serves and protects,
regardless of socio-economic status,” she said.
Shelagh McCall, a senior counsel, said the award is a chance
to recognise colleagues working in far more difficult circumstances.
“Here in Scotland, we can become complacent about what it
means to work to protect human rights….She is a worthy recipient and we’re
pleased to stand at her side in support of her work”.
The award was established in 2018 by the Faculty of
Advocates to honour individuals who champion human rights under challenging
circumstances.