Rights groups say Kenya, once seen as a safe haven for refugees, is slowly becoming a hostile place for those seeking protection from political persecution and war.

Their concerns come after masked men kidnapped four Turkish refugees at gunpoint in the capital Nairobi last month; this was the latest in a series of similar cases in the East African state.

Kenyan officials said that four people recognized as refugees by the UN were deported at the request of the Turkish government, which wanted them on charges of treason.

Critics accuse Kenya of abandoning a century-old child The legal principle of “non-refoulement”Prohibiting the forcible return of people to countries where they may face persecution.

This damaged Kenya’s reputation; The local Daily Nation newspaper reported that the heads of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and UK foreign intelligence agency MI6 (William Burns and Richard Moore respectively) raised the deportation issue with President William Ruto during their visits. to Nairobi late last month.

Kenya’s refugees commissioner, John Burugu, declined to comment on the deportations, but senior foreign ministry official Korir Sing’oei highlighted the dilemma the government faces when he said it must achieve “a vital balance of interests for the greater good”.

“Harboring subversive elements accused of engaging in activities damaging to a friendly country has created both a diplomatic and humanitarian dilemma for Kenya,” he added.

In the end, realpolitik triumphed; Kenya was not ready to jeopardize its close ties with Türkiye, which sees both countries. signed a military cooperation agreement in July.

Compared to its neighbors, Kenya has enjoyed many years of peace and stability; This has made it a priority destination for refugees and asylum seekers from various conflict-hit or authoritarian countries in the region, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Rwanda and the South. Sudan.

Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy, hosts more than 800,000 refugees, according to Burugu.

But rights groups fear the country has become increasingly unsafe for those fleeing persecution in their home countries in recent years.

Kenyan police have also been accused of colluding with foreign security agencies on multiple occasions, trying to capture people they see as threats.

The most recent example of this occurred in July, when 36 Ugandan opposition supporters were accused of being complicit in “brazen cross-border kidnappings,” as Uganda’s Observer newspaper put it.

According to their lawyers, the group traveled to Kisumu, Kenya, for a training course, but were deported to Uganda without following proper legal channels, such as deportation orders or extradition requests.

Uganda police blamed the suspects “Engaging in clandestine activities suspected of being subversive which attracts the attention of Kenyan security forces”.

However, the group, through its lawyers, denied any wrongdoing.

“By allowing Ugandan security officers to cross into Kenya and kidnap these individuals, Kenya has failed in its duty to protect the freedom and well-being of all people on its territory, regardless of nationality or political affiliation,” the Observer said. in an editorial.

Last May, Rwandan human rights defender Yusuf Ahmed Gasana was kidnapped from his home in Nairobi by unidentified assailants and has not been seen since.

Sources told Gasana’s family that he was being held in a secret detention facility in Rwanda along with several others who have not yet been charged.

Other prominent cases include:

• South Sudanese refugee Mabior Awikjok BakHe was kidnapped in Nairobi last February by men reportedly wearing Kenyan police uniforms. A critic of the government, he is currently under arbitrary detention in his homeland.

• Pakistani journalist Ershad Sharifwho was Shot dead outside Nairobi by police in October 2022, two months after he sought safety in Kenya after fleeing Pakistan. Police said the incident was a case of confusion.

• Nnamdi KanuThe Nigerian separatist leader said he was arrested at a Kenyan airport in 2021 and handed over to Nigerian intelligence services. He is currently on trial on terrorism and incitement charges. Both governments denied involvement in his arrest.

The situation is frightening for those who want to seek refuge in Kenya.

A Rwandan refugee who has been living in Kenya for more than 10 years and has been critical of the Rwandan government told the BBC: “I am now active on social media because of threats from all sides.”

The 40-year-old man believes authorities in Kenya are helping Rwandan authorities find him.

“Returning home is not an option for me and my family, but here we live in constant fear,” he said.

“I’m afraid because there’s a great possibility that the people we’re running away from will reach us,” the refugee added.

Due to the growing threat, more than 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers currently live under the protection of the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), a non-governmental organisation.

Shadrack Kuyoh, the organisation’s chief investigator, told the BBC that fear of arrest, indictment or extradition was among the reasons they sought help from RCK.

He said the deportation of refugees violated the Kenya Refugees Act, which aims to ensure they are not “returned to areas where they may be harmed”.

The fate of Turkish citizens remains unclear since their deportation.

The four were believed to be part of the Gülen movement, named after Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Muslim cleric who ran schools in Kenya and other parts of the world.

Their deportation came shortly after the death of Gulen, whom Turkey accused of plotting a failed coup in 2016; which suggested that Turkey was taking advantage of Gulen’s death to put pressure on his supporters.

Bishop Willybard Kitogho Lagho, president of the Interfaith Council of Kenya, described the quartet as “peace-loving people” involved in humanitarian work.

“Their abduction underscores growing concerns for the safety of all refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya,” he said.

Kenyan foreign policy analyst Edgar Githua said the government should hand them over to the UN refugee agency to protect itself from criticism.

“Kenya’s international image has been tarnished. This will be mentioned for centuries. We cannot undo what we have done,” he said.

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