The Human Rights Watch (HRW) lobby group has called upon the government to stop the ongoing security operation that had supposedly been started to flush out terrorists and illegal immigrants.
They have cited massive and continued human rights violations by the Kenya police as the basis for their request.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the group said security forces had raided homes, buildings and shops where they looted property and money in the pretext of carrying out security operations.
The police have also harassed and illegally detained thousands of citizens and foreigners, including journalists and aid workers. The detention was done in inhumane conditions for over 24 hours without being taken to court as required by law.
“Kenyan authorities should immediately end ongoing harassment, arbitrary detentions, forced relocations to refugee camps and summary deportations in a round-up operation that has affected both foreigners and Kenyan citizens,“ HRW Africa director, Daniel Bekele stated, "Kenyan police and security forces are using abusive and discriminatory tactics in the name of national security, targeting entire communities. This crackdown clearly violates basic rights of Kenyans, refugees, and other foreign nationals and does nothing to improve security,” he added.
Mr Bekele also called on the government to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access to detainees to identify registered refugees, asylum seekers and anyone seeking protection.
The UNHCR has previously decried the government's policy of denying them and other humanitarian groups access to the detainees held in police cells, at the Safaricom Kasarani Stadium and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
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