Egypt has been conducting mass arrests and unlawful deportations of thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Sudan, according to a report released by Amnesty International on Wednesday. The human rights organization detailed numerous incidents in which Sudanese nationals were forcibly returned without the opportunity to claim asylum or challenge their deportation.
Between January and March this year, Amnesty International documented 12 incidents where Egyptian authorities deported an estimated 800 Sudanese refugees. The organization also highlighted the cases of 27 Sudanese refugees arrested between October 2023 and March 2024, 26 of whom were among those expelled. These refugees reportedly faced cruel and inhuman conditions before their deportation.
The exact number of arrests and deportations remains unclear due to the lack of publicly available statistics. The United Nations refugee agency reported that thousands of refugees, many of them Sudanese, were deported late last year.
Egypt’s State Information Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights denied Amnesty International’s findings, asserting that the authorities respect international law.
Amnesty International reported that the arrests are part of a campaign initiated in September 2023. Plainclothes police officers have been conducting random checks on Black individuals, arresting those without valid identity documents or residence permits. These checks occur frequently in Cairo and Giza, where many Sudanese refugees reside, as well as in Aswan, a common transit point for refugees heading north.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April last year between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis. Over nine million people have been displaced within Sudan or have fled to neighboring countries.
Amnesty International’s findings underscore the urgent need for international intervention and support for Sudanese refugees, who continue to face severe hardships both within Sudan and in neighboring countries like Egypt. The report calls on Egypt to halt these unlawful deportations and ensure that refugees are treated in accordance with international human rights standards.