Egypt: Government agrees not to deport Sudanese detainees

The Egyptian government has said that it will not deport hundreds of Sudanese detainees who lack status as refugees or asylum seekers. The detainees were arrested after a three-month sit-in protest in front of UN offices in Cairo resulted in a violent clash with Egyptian police on December 30, resulting in 27 deaths. The Sudanese protesters sought resettlement in a third country. The Ministry of Foreign Affair has said that following extensive interviews with the detainees by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, none will be deported to Sudan, and that Egypt will take steps to grant legal status to those who do not qualify for international protection. Egypt had earlier announced plans to deport 654 Sudanese refugees, but this was met with pressure from the international community, reports The Jurist.