Nairobi, 19 October 2024: Amnesty International Kenya is deeply alarmed by the abduction of seven Turkish asylum seekers on October 18, 2024, in Nairobi. The individuals—Mustafa Genç, his son Abdullah Genç, Hüseyin Yeşilsu, Necdet Seyitoğlu, Öztürk Uzun, Alparslan Taşçı, and his wife Saadet Taşçı were reportedly kidnapped by unknown individuals. While Abdullah Genç, Necdet Seyitoğlu, and Saadet Taşçı have been reportedly released, Öztürk Uzun, Alparslan Taşçı, and Hüseyin Yeşilsu remain missing and are at grave risk of refoulement – a serious violation of international law.
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 violates 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.
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.
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.
Signed
Irungu Houghton
Amnesty International Kenya Section Director
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