Kenya refugees: Abductions and expulsions taint safe haven image

Kenya's status as a sanctuary for refugees is questioned after the deportation of four Turkish nationals.

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Their concerns come after masked men abducted at gunpoint four Turkish refugees in the capital, Nairobi, last month - the latest in a series of such cases in the East African state.

Kenyan authorities said the four, who were recognised by the UN as refugees, were deported at the request of the Turkish government, which wants them on treason charges.

Critics accuse Kenya of abandoning an age-old legal principle of "non-refoulement", which prohibits the forced return of people to countries where they may face persecution.

This has tarnished Kenya's reputation, with the local Daily Nation newspaper reporting that the chiefs of the US's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the UK's foreign intelligence agency MI6 - William Burns and Richard Moore respectively - raised the deportations with President William Ruto during their visit to Nairobi late last month.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyv2610n6qo

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