- Victims claimed that people posing as real employment agencies in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia hired them to work in Kenya
- They revealed that they were arrested following a raid by Cambodian officials, and efforts to reach the Kenyan embassy were unsuccessful
- They want the Immigration Services Directorate to arrange and pay emergency evacuation costs, such as airfare
More than 600 Kenyan citizens stranded in Cambodia have filed a petition at the Nairobi High Court for urgent orders forcing the government to quickly evacuate them and return them home.
Source: Getty Images
According to the constitutional petition of the petitioners, which was submitted through counsel Danstan Omariare stuck in Cambodia with no way to book return flights and could be arrested or detained if they don’t leave by Saturday, February 28.
The petitioners described dire conditions, citing lack of adequate food and shelter, untreated injuries and medical needs, confiscated passports and communication devices, and exploitative working conditions, such as 16-hour work days and severe restrictions on not working.
How did more than 600 Kenyans find themselves in Cambodia?
According to Capital FM, the victims claimed that people posing as real employment agencies in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia lured them to Kenya.
Following large payments for travel and employment costs, the Kenyans were allegedly taken to Cambodia without reason and imprisoned in buildings with high walls and barbed wire.
The applicants, as reported by Kenyan Diaspora Media, claim that after the raid by Cambodian officials, the operators of the program left, leaving them without a place to stay, a source of income, or travel permits.
Furthermore, they say that efforts to contact the Kenyan Embassy were unsuccessful.
What rights were violated?
In the petition, they cited Articles 25, 28, 29, and 30, freedom from torture, protection of human dignity, security, and freedom from forced labor.
Source: Facebook
These include Articles 41, 43, 47, and 48 that deal with fair labor practices, access to health services, housing, emergency treatment, and rights.
Others are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as allegations of violations of the Bill of Rights by government agencies.
What did the plaintiffs want from the Kenyan government?
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) was accepted as a party involved in the case.
In order to establish direct contact with the embassy, the plaintiffs are asking the High Court to order the government to confirm the identity and whereabouts of all affected Kenyans in Cambodia.
Additionally, they want the Immigration Services Directorate to arrange and pay emergency evacuation costs, such as airfare, transportation, accommodation, and food, if possible within 48 hours, and issue emergency travel documents to people without valid passports.
Why did the government stop the operation to rescue Kenyans stuck abroad?
In related news, the government suspended the rescue of Kenyans trapped abroad due to increasing cases of fraudsters.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government ‘noticed worrying trends’ where many people deliberately flew overseas despite repeated warnings.
Many of the victims are tourist visas that entered the country, often crossing unofficial borders, and ignoring warnings against fake job offers in Southeast Asia.
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