Egypt releases Sudanese refugees from Darfur, UN agency reports

Egyptian authorities have agreed to release scores of Sudanese women and children arrested when a protest sit-in was broken up three weeks ago, responding to an appeal by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the agency announced today.

UNHCR welcomed the decision in which 176 Sudanese women and children were freed on Wednesday night and a further 39 women, children and holders of UNHCR cards that show they are refugees were set to be freed late on Thursday.

In addition 57 Sudanese from the troubled Darfur region were freed. UNHCR had requested their release because it does not support the return of anyone to that war-torn region of Sudan.

At Kanater Prison, the agency reported that as the women and children were released, many cried with joy, but some voiced anger that they had been jailed. Numerous detainees had been separated from family since before the demonstration was crushed.

The authorities have extended until 26 January the time UNHCR will have to conduct detailed interviews with the remaining 183 Sudanese still in prison to see if they need international protection. They were among 2,000 Sudanese who for three months had held a sit-in close to UNHCR's office in Cairo and were removed by police on 30 December.

“We are extremely relieved that this group has been released and an additional group of 39 – women, children and UNHCR card holders – will also be released today,” said Radhouane Nouicer, UNHCR’s Geneva-based deputy director for the region. “We are grateful to the Egyptian authorities for this humane gesture.”

Twenty-seven people are reported to have died during the December clash. Most of the demonstrators initially detained were released within a few days of the incident. But more than 600 were still being held on 5 January, when UNHCR was given access to the Sudanese in three Cairo prisons to assess their legal status and their need for international protection.

The agency consequently recommended the release of all detainees – especially the two-thirds who are registered with UNHCR or are women and children or who have fled Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region.

He also pledged that the agency would continue its assistance to all those in need.