Amnesty International has accused Egypt of arbitrarily detaining and forcibly deporting Sudanese refugees back to Sudan, urging Egyptian authorities to halt these unlawful actions, according to a report released by the human rights organization on Wednesday.
Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating war between the regular armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces for over a year, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis.
In its report, Amnesty International highlighted that three thousand individuals were deported from Egypt to Sudan in September 2023 alone, based on estimates from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The London-based organization condemned the forced deportation of Sudanese refugees to an active conflict zone without due process or the opportunity to seek asylum, which constitutes a blatant violation of international law.
Sarah Hashash, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, stated that it is incomprehensible to collectively detain Sudanese women, men, and children after they crossed the border fleeing armed conflict in their country, only to be arbitrarily detained in inhumane conditions and unlawfully deported.
The United Nations reports that tens of thousands of Sudanese have been killed, and over nine million displaced since the war erupted in April 2023.
Additionally, the UN notes that approximately two million people have fled across borders, including around half a million to Egypt.
However, Amnesty International believes the actual number to be higher, considering many entered the country through unofficial routes following Cairo’s sudden imposition of visa requirements on all Sudanese nationals in June last year.
The report also pointed out that Egypt has long been a haven for millions of Sudanese, with women, children under 16, and men over 49 previously exempt from entry requirements.
Amnesty International cited testimonies from Sudanese refugees, with some reporting arrests while in hospitals or on the streets, creating a pervasive sense of fear among refugees and deterring many from leaving their homes.
The organization described the conditions in detention centers as harsh and inhumane, noting severe overcrowding, inadequate toilet and sanitation facilities, insufficient and poor-quality food, and lack of adequate healthcare.
Some detention centers, it noted, were unofficial, including a horse stable within a military site.
The report stated that Egyptian authorities forcibly repatriated at least 800 Sudanese detainees between January and March 2024.
Amnesty International also warned the European Union about the risks of complicity in human rights abuses committed by Egyptian authorities.
In October 2022, the EU and Egypt signed an €80 million cooperation agreement, which includes building the capacity of Egypt’s border guards to combat irregular migration and human trafficking.
By cooperating with Egypt on migration without stringent safeguards for human rights protection, the EU risks complicity in Egypt’s human rights violations. The EU must press Egyptian authorities to take concrete measures to protect refugees and migrants.
Egypt does not allow the establishment of refugee camps by the United Nations or other relief organizations, claiming that refugees and asylum seekers are not deprived of their right to seek employment and travel freely within the country.