Jerome Starkey: Times journalist 'being deported from Kenya after Nairobi airport detention'

Detained: Mr Starkey said he was held overnight after he flew into Nairobi on Thursday
Jerome Starkey/Facebook
Jamie Bullen9 December 2016

A Times journalist claims he is being deported by Kenyan authorities after he was detained at Nairobi airport "without explanation".

Jerome Starkey, the newspaper’s Africa correspondent, said he was arrested at Nairobi airport on Thursday and held overnight in a series of tweets.

He said he was given no explanation behind his detention as his phone was confiscated while he claimed officials told him security agencies had put a "block" on his passport.

On Friday, he tweeted he was being deported from the country after more than 24 hours in detention without access to a lawyer.

In a statement published by the Sun, he said: “The immigration officer noticed something on her computer and led me to a side room.

“They said there was a security block on my passport, which had been put there by Kenyan security services.”

“I have no idea why I am being held, nor has anyone proffered any kind of explanation. As far as I am aware, I haven’t been charged.”

Rono Burnei, the deputy police chief in charge of all Kenyan airports, said Mr Starkey was held over immigration issues.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) described the detention as “outrageous” and demanded Mr Starkey to be released immediately.

Murithi Mutiga, the group’s East Africa representative, said: “It is utterly outrageous to arrest a journalist without any explanation or clear cause.”

Mr Starkey has lived in Kenya since 2012 when he was appointed Africa correspondent after years working in Afghanistan.

The Times has not responded to requests for a comment.

Additional reporting by Associated Press

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