Amnesty Kenya has called on the government to take action and locate Turkish internationals said to have been abducted while in the country.

According to the organisation, the seven – Mustafa Genc, his son Abdullah Genc, Huseyin Yesilsu, Necdet Seyitoglu, Ozturk Uzun, Alparslan Tascı, and his wife Saadet Tascı were abducted on Friday, October 18, 2024. However, Amnesty Kenya says that Abdullah Genc, Necdet Seyitoglu, and Saadet Tascı have been reportedly released, but Uzun, Alparslan, and Yesilsu remain missing.

“This incident constitutes a breach of both Kenya and international refugee law. These individuals are refugees who have sought the protection of the Kenyan government. Their abductions underscore the growing concerns about the safety of all refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya.

“Amnesty International Kenya is further concerned that they may be facing an imminent forceful and unlawful return to Turkey.  Should this happen, they face considerable risk of serious human rights violations. Abduction and forced return to countries they fled directly violate the principle of non-refoulement enshrined in Kenyan law, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the African Union Convention Governing Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa,” the statement by Amnesty Kenya, released on Saturday, October 19, 2024, said.

Warning

The organisation warned key state agencies that transnational repression is a crime and that those responsible will be held accountable.

“Amnesty International Kenya calls on the Government of Kenya to take immediate action to locate the missing individuals, ensure their safety and return to their families. We remind the Interior and Foreign Affairs Ministries, Judiciary of Kenya, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Independent Policing Oversight Authority and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights that transnational repression is an international crime.

“We demand their swift and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this abduction and that those responsible be held accountable.

“We call on the United Nations and the international community to remain aware of the implications of this development. It is deeply concerning that this is happening in the month that Kenya has successfully applied to become a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council,” it added.

Amnesty Kenya also asked the government to ensure the safety of asylum seekers in the country.

“The Kenyan government is required to ensure that all asylum seekers and refugees are protected from criminal abduction and unlawful return to countries where their lives and freedoms are in danger. It must uphold its legal obligations under the Kenyan Constitution, refugee laws, and international human rights treaties,” the statement concluded.

LSK concerned

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President, Faith Odhiambo, also added her voice to the abduction reports.

“LSK condemns the heinous violation of human rights and calls for immediate investigations to identify the perpetrators and locate the 4 missing persons. We note that Kenya has obligations under international law to protect the rights of all persons resident in Kenya.

“We further note that the Mutual Legal Assistance Act is clear that Kenya will not provide legal assistance to any foreign operatives with respect to matters of a political nature. The identification, tracking, enforced disappearance and seizure of property of the 7 individuals is, therefore, illegal in toto and inconsistent with Kenya’s commitment to uphold the rule of law,” she said in an X post on Saturday, October 19, 2024.