Egypt: UN refugee agency has until Sunday to assess status of detained Sudanese

Egyptian authorities have given the United Nations refugee agency until Sunday to assess the status of hundreds of Sudanese held on the outskirts of Cairo and threatened with detention following last month’s fatal demonstrations.

“UNHCR has so far received no guarantees from the Egyptian government that – as we have requested – no one will be deported,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Ron Redmond said in Geneva.

Assessment teams of are working around the clock in an attempt to properly assess the status of the remaining 463 Sudanese refugees, he said, and recommendations will be made on Sunday, he said.

The Sudanese were taken into custody by police after their three-month sit-in protest in a Cairo park ended tragically two weeks ago in a confrontation that left several people dead and injured.

At first, Egyptian authorities gave UNHCR three days to assess the legal status of the detainees and their possible need for international protection. The agency sought a one-month extension to carry out a thorough review, but was only given one additional week.

On Wednesday, 164 Sudanese asylum seekers and refugees, including 41 women and 31 children, were released by the Egyptian authorities following photo and identity verification, the agency said.

Those refugees had lost their status cards while being removed from the square. UNHCR issued all 164 with new cards and provided each with a one-time financial grant of 300 Egyptian pounds (approximately $60).

UNHCR has recommended the immediate release of all women and children, of which more than 190 remain in detention, on legal and moral humanitarian grounds.

It recommended the immediate release of all Sudanese from Darfur in due to the current situation there.

Although UNHCR advises against forcible return to Sudan at this point in time, as many areas are not yet deemed safe, the agency said it can facilitate return for those Sudanese who explicitly express the wish to go back to safe areas.

The agency said that Egypt acceded in 1981 to the 1951 Refugee Convention and as a result has basic responsibilities towards refugees and asylum seekers, including registration and status determination. It considers the deportation of “persons of concern” a violation of the Convention.

Food, blankets and basic clothing have been distributed by UNHCR to Sudanese who took part in the sit-in strike. All have also been provided with a one-off financial grant, varying from 300 to 700 Egyptian pounds depending on family size.