NAIROBI, KENYA Dec 21— Amnesty International Kenya has raised urgent concerns over the possible refoulement of a Turkish national arrested in Kenya, warning that his return to Türkiye could expose him to serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, or ill-treatment.
In a statement issued Sunday, Amnesty International said Mustafa Güngör, who was arrested alongside his wife Zeliha, their daughters Seniha Betül and Zeynep, and his in-laws Zümrüt and Salim, is at grave risk of being forcibly returned to Türkiye.
The rights group said it had reliably learned that Turkish authorities sought Güngör’s arrest through a Mutual Legal Assistance request submitted to Kenya’s Office of the Attorney General.
“Kenya has an obligation under international law not to return anyone to a country where they face persecution or harm,” Amnesty International said, citing the principle of non-refoulement enshrined in international and regional human rights instruments to which Kenya is a party.
Amnesty International called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other relevant authorities to respect the principle of non-refoulement, ensure due process, and guarantee protection for the entire family.
The organisation also urged authorities to allow continued access to legal representation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Kenyan judiciary.
The rights group said its officers were present at the DCI headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi, alongside the family’s lawyers, to monitor the situation and ensure that legal safeguards are upheld.
The concerns come against the backdrop of previous incidents involving Turkish nationals in Kenya.
In October last year, the government confirmed that four Turkish nationals who were reportedly abducted had been repatriated to Türkiye at the request of their government.
At the time, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei said Kenya acceded to the request based on “robust historical and strategic relations” between the two countries, anchored on bilateral agreements.
He added that the repatriation followed assurances from Turkish authorities that the rights of the individuals would be upheld.
Sing’Oei also reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to protecting and promoting refugee rights under national and international law, noting that the country hosts more than 780,000 refugees.
He said the government would refrain from commenting further on the matter pending the completion of an inter-agency inquiry review.
Amnesty International has now urged Kenyan authorities to demonstrate that commitment by ensuring that Güngör and his family are not returned to a situation where they may face persecution, stressing that respect for human rights and due process must remain paramount.
