Nairobi, Feb. 23 -- The High Court has ruled that prisoners and detainees have the right to attend funerals of their loved ones.

In a victory for people serving sentences in prisons and detention centres, Justice Lawrence Mugambi said prisoners had a right to be treated humanely, including being allowed to attend the funerals of their loved ones.

However, the judge said the right was not absolute and the request could be denied depending on the circumstances.

The court made the ruling in a petition filed by Moses Dola Otieno, a journalist serving time for the murder of his wife, Wambui Kabiru.

Dola accused the prison authorities of failing to make arrangements to allow prisoners to attend the funerals of their loved ones and close rel...