Following what they characterize as a human trafficking ordeal masquerading as an overseas job, hundreds of Kenyan nationals who are stuck in Cambodia have turned to Nairobi’s courts, pleading with judges to order the government to guarantee their release.
The group claims in a High Court case that they were imprisoned in a tightly guarded compound after traveling to Southeast Asia after being offered respectable positions. The legal paperwork stated that movement was strictly regulated and that the facility was ring-fenced with high walls and barbed wire.
The petitioners claim that under extreme pressure to reach predetermined goals, they were forced to labor terrible hours—up to 16 hours per day, at times. Some reported untreated injuries, including as stab wounds, and physical abuse.
The filings do not confirm the exact nature of the work but note that authorities across Cambodia have recently been dismantling facilities linked to online fraud networks, which have expanded across parts of the region.
The situation reportedly shifted after local security forces raided the premises, prompting those running the operation to flee. The Kenyans say they were left behind and are now sheltering in difficult conditions, without adequate food, medical care or the means to leave the country.
Their legal challenge asks the court to order Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry and other state agencies to intervene urgently, by providing consular assistance, issuing temporary travel documents and arranging evacuation flights. The petition argues the state has a constitutional obligation to protect citizens from exploitation, including when they are abroad.
The group also says Cambodian authorities have instructed them to exit the country by February 28 or risk legal consequences, including possible detention. Many claim they cannot afford the cost of returning home on their own.
Kenya’s foreign ministry said it had not yet been briefed on the matter, while officials in Cambodia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Judges in Nairobi are expected to consider the case on Tuesday, as pressure grows for a coordinated response to what lawyers describe as a cross-border trafficking crisis.
