Kenya deports British journalist without explanation

By Andrew Wasike

Nairobi (AA) – British award-winning journalist Jerome Starkey, 35, working for The Times daily was deported from Kenya Saturday after being held for more than 24 hours without charge.

Starkey said on his Twitter account that after landing in Kenya, he was arrested and detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport police station, he said the East African nation had denied him access to a legal representative.

Authorities in Kenya on Saturday confirmed that Starkey was deported.

Before his deportation, the journalist had tweeted: "Over 24hrs in detention in #Kenya - denied access to a lawyer - now I'm being deported without explanation? Smacks of intimidation #KoT.”

Rights group Amnesty International on Saturday said the Kenyan government had to inform the United Kingdom of the reason behind Starkey’s detention and deportation.

In a statement, the Foreign Correspondents Association of East Africa (FCAEA) also called on the government of Kenya to release the details of why the journalist, who has been based in Kenya since 2012, was detained.

“We are particularly concerned by the lack of clarity about the reasons for his expulsion. We hope to gain an understanding of the reasons behind this decision in coming days, and remain committed to supporting our members working in the region,” read the statement.