Jersey mother fears for human rights activist son detained in Qatar

The mother of a Kenyan security guard and human rights blogger, arrested in Qatar, has told ITV she fears he is being tortured.Malcolm Bidali was writing for a Migrants Rights organisation under a pseudonym, detailing the plight of migrant workers like himself.

His mother, Maggie Turner, has lived in Jersey for many years, and now fears for his humans rights.

28-year-old Malcolm Bidali left Kenya for Qatar in 2018. On the 4 May he was arrested for an alleged violation of security laws and regulations.His detention has caught the attention of media and human rights groups across the world. It has also thrown into the spotlight the rights of migrant workers.

Ms Turner arrived in Jersey a migrant worker, leaving her son with her family back home to take up seasonal work in Jersey's hospitality industry over 20 years ago.

Over the last 20 years Ms Turner was back and forth to Kenya, whilst he finished his education.She progressed her career from hospitality to working for the government, and now in finance.But attempts to get Mr Bidali over here more recently failed with two visitor visa applications rejected. As part of the application he had to prove that he was able to return to Kenya at the end of his stay. The conditions included proof of land ownership or a wife and children, of which he had neither.  It is a sorrow that makes the pain of what has happened so much harder to accept.

Jersey's government says it is aware of the situation and will continue to support and liaise with Malcolm's family 'as appropriate.'