29.6.2026
Sudanese Human Rights Activists – Norway
Press release
Launch of the Report on Arbitrary Arrests and Forced Deportations of Sudanese Refugees in Egypt
Sudanese Human Rights Activists – Norway launched 20 June 2026, the report “Unsafe Sanctuaries: Report on Arbitrary Arrests and Forced Deportations of Sudanese Refugees in Egypt”, which exposes systematic patterns of arbitrary arrests and forced deportations targeting refugees in Egypt.
The Egyptian authorities have been carrying out a widespread campaign of arbitrary arrest and forced deportation targeting refugees from several countries, including Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Eritrea, and Iraq.
The report analyzed the conditions, circumstances, impacts, and consequences of this campaign on Sudanese refugees who remain in Egypt and those who were forcibly returned to Sudan.
The report is based on 79 documented cases and more than 70 interviews with detainees, deportees, families of detainees and deportees, and eyewitnesses.
Information and data were collected through direct interviews, secure online communication, and structured documentation forms, and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative analysis and were cross‑checked against international law and human rights standards to assess the extent of harm and identify necessary measures to improve the situation of those affected by the campaign and forced deportations.
The report documented and highlighted serious human rights violations experienced by these individuals, including denial of due process, confiscation of personal belongings, ill‑treatment in detention facilities, and denial of healthcare and family contact.
Key Findings of the report:
Legal Gap:
83.3% of arrests were carried out without legal warrants, and 87.3% of detainees were denied access to legal assistance – reaching 100% in some specialized detention facilities.
Administrative Challenges:
Personal belongings were confiscated in approximately 72% of documented cases.
Humanitarian Concerns:
45.6% of detainees suffer from chronic health conditions without receiving adequate medical care.
Forced Return:
43.9% of documented cases were forcibly deported.
The report concludes that these practices constitute a clear violation of the principle of non‑refoulement and international human rights law including articles 9 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the standards of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the 1951 Refugee Convention.
The report also provides constructive recommendations to strengthen cooperation between Egyptian authorities and international bodies to ensure a more stable protection environment aligned with global standards, alongside urgent recommendations to relevant stakeholders.
The report calls for the immediate cessation of these violations and for ensuring the protection of Sudanese and other refugees in Egypt in accordance with international standards.
Publishing the report on World Refugee Day underscores the urgent need to protect Sudanese and other refugees and uphold their fundamental rights.
The report will be submitted to the UNHCR and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, prior to the full public release, in coordination with our partner Norwegian organizations.
Sudanese Human Rights Activists- Norway