Over 600 Kenyans File Lawsuit Seeking Rescue From Cambodia Trafficking Operation

More than 600 Kenyan citizens are asking their nation's high court to force the government to bring them home from Cambodia, where they say they were trapped in a human trafficking operation. The group claims they were lured by fake job promises and forced to work 16-hour days in a guarded compound before Cambodian authorities raided the facility.

NAIROBI – A group of more than 600 Kenyan nationals has filed legal action in their country’s High Court, demanding government assistance to escape what they describe as a human trafficking operation in Cambodia.

Court documents submitted Monday detail how the Kenyans were enticed to travel to Cambodia with promises of legitimate employment, only to find themselves imprisoned in a heavily secured facility surrounded by tall walls and razor wire.

According to the legal filing, the victims endured grueling 16-hour work shifts while trying to meet unrealistic quotas. The documents describe multiple instances of violence, including stabbings, with many injuries going without proper medical treatment.

While the court papers don’t specify the exact nature of the work, Cambodia has recently intensified efforts to shut down cybercrime operations that have become widespread across Southeast Asia in recent years.

The situation changed when Cambodian law enforcement conducted a raid on the compound, allowing the perpetrators to flee. The petitioners state they are “currently hounded in a local shelter in Cambodia,” facing food shortages and requiring immediate medical attention.

Through their legal representatives, the group is requesting emergency court orders that would require Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related government departments to provide diplomatic protection, issue temporary travel documentation, and arrange their return to Kenya.

The lawsuit references Kenya’s constitutional guarantees against forced labor and torture, asserting that the government has an obligation to safeguard its citizens when they are overseas.

Legal documents reveal that Cambodian officials have given the Kenyan group until February 28, 2026, to depart the country or face prosecution and potential jail time. The petitioners say they lack the financial means to purchase airline tickets back to Kenya.

When contacted for comment, a representative from Kenya’s foreign ministry indicated they had no knowledge of the situation. Cambodia’s interior ministry has not yet responded to requests for information.

The High Court is scheduled to consider the case on Tuesday.