Press release
Cairo:30/1/2003

EOHR’s calls for the immediate release of the Sudanese

EOHR is deeply concerned regarding the round up conducted by the Egyptian Security Forces to arrest some Sudanese refugees who live in Maadi in South Cairo between 28-29 January which included more than 200 Sudanese refugees.

The information received by EOHR’s fact finding missions with the help of EOHR’s refugee legal aid unit sent to Mogamaa El Tahrir (immigration department) said that the Security forces arrested the Sudanese refugees and they were detained in Maadi and Bastaine police stations. The information stated that there are whole families who were arrested and presented before the Security office in Mogamaa El Tahrir . Also, Those who have blue cards and those who are waiting for the UNHCR determination or pending interviews are released. However, there are still refugees who are still under detention in the security office in Mogamaa El Tahrir as the authorities are examining their legal status.

EOHR believes that these arrests are coercive and security bodies lack information regarding the legal status for such arrests to as these arrests included more than 160 persons whose legal status comply with the Egyptian and International laws. However, the authorities insisted on taking them to police stations which is a breach to article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as it breaches the 1951Convention  and 1976 Protocol concerning refugees which are ratified by Egypt and became part of the internal law of Egypt by virtue of article 151 of the Constitution.

In this regard, EOHR calls upon the immediate release of the rest of the arrested refugees and to review their status for fear that they may be persecuted and killed if they are returned to their countries.