Darfuri activist imprisoned, deportation feared
Although Egypt is a signatory to international refugee conventions, it refuses to allow refugees to work in Egypt, often denies them residency, imprisons them without due process, and harasses their community leaders.
PRESS RELEASE, 11 May 2012
CAIRO, EGYPT: Menem Suliman Atron, Director of the Sudan Center for Contemporary Studies and Development (SCC) in Cairo, Egypt, remains under imprisonment at Qanatar Prison, north of Cairo. He was arrested on Sunday, 6 May 2012, when he reported to the National Security Police for an interview. The arrest is primarily in response to the SCC’s advocacy on behalf of refugees in Cairo.
The Darfuris became refugees in recent years, due to genocidal attacks on their region by the Omar Bashir government of Sudan. Bashir has been indicted for war crimes in Darfur by the International Criminal Court. Members of the Sudan Center provided testimony to the ICC about their experiences of the Bashir government's attacks on their people, as well as their persecution, imprisonment, and torture in Sudan for opposing actions by Bashir's government.
On 30 December 2011, Kamal Hassan Aly, Ambassador from Sudan to Egypt, requested that the Egyptian National Security arrest 30 members of the Sudan Center and deport them to Sudan for "defaming the Arab Nation" by their advocacy work, according to a report broadcast on the Sudan Nile Center for News.
A 10 January 2012 article in Sudan Online, an online news service, reported that leaders from the Sudan Center (SCC), including Menem Suliman Atron, Bashir Siluman, and Abdalla Hanzal were slated for deportation from Egypt by the Egyptian National Security Police. Refugees believe the current Egyptian government is closely allied with the Bashir government and intends to deport them for their continued advocacy for the rights of refugees in Cairo and their criticism of the Egyptian government's treatment of refugees. Although Egypt is a signatory to international refugee conventions, it refuses to allow refugees to work in Egypt, often denies them residency, imprisons them without due process, and harasses their community leaders.
On 18 April 2012, Mr. Aly Ahmed Karte renewed Khartoum’s request for the extradition of these refugee leaders in a conference on security between Sudan and Egypt. The governments regularly exchange criminal prisoners; however in this case, the human rights activists have not committed any crime, but the Sudan government demands their arrest and deportation.
The SCC human rights activists fear that Menem will be secretly deported to Sudan, in violation of that most basic of refugee rights, the right of nonrefoulement (the right to not be returned to the country where one fears persecution). "At least one of our organization members has been killed after being deported to the Sudan," said SCC Coordinator Bashir Suleiman, "while we know of two others who are currently being threatened by Sudan's secret police." The members of SCC said they fear that Menem will be imprisoned, tortured, or even murdered if he is returned to Sudan, due to his advocacy for the rights of Darfuri people.
Egyptian police have similarly threatened members of the Nuba Mountains Association (NMA) of Cairo with deportation, according to Abdel Bagi Ali Dida, the Foreign Relations Representative for the NMA. The NMA offers community support, education, social services, and advocacy for refugees from Sudan's Nuba Mountains. Menem, age 30, is an internet journalist and human rights defender. He currently has no children, but his wife is currently 7 months pregnant with the couples’ first child. Menem has committed no criminal act. He is strictly being persecuted for using his rights to free speech.
The international community is asked to advocate for the release of Menem and the protection of all refugees in Egypt, as the right to nonrefoulement (not to be returned to the country where they were persecuted), is the primary right of refugees under international law. Further arrests of other members of the Sudan Center are feared. Your advocacy can help prevent the further violation of their rights.
Please write to the Embassy of Egypt in your home country, demanding that Menem be released or he be safely resettled to a neutral third country where his rights will be protected. A list of Embassy addresses is below.
WHERE TO WRITE:
Please write to Egypt’s Ambassador to the country in which you are a citizen. Below are some of the addresses.
Egyptian Embassy in Australia
1 Darwin Avenue
Yarralumla, Canberra, ACT 2600
Tel: (62) 273-4437/8
Egyptian Embassy in France
56, Avenue d'Iena
75116 Paris
Tel: (1) 47 20 97 70 / 47 20 75 97
In the USA:
His Excellency Ambassador Samey Shoukry
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Ct. NW
Washington DC 20008
• TEL: +1 202.895.5400
• FAX: +1 202.244.5131
• Email:[email protected]
Embassy of Egypt in the UK
2 Lowndes Street
London SW1X 9ET.
Tel: 020 7235 9777 - Fax: 020 7235 5684
Link to email Embassy of Egypt UK:
http://www.egyptianconsulate.co.uk/Contact_us.php
Embassy of Egypt in Canada
454 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, Ontario KIN 6R3
Tel: (613) 234-4931 / 35/58
Embassy of Egypt in Germany
Konprinzen Str 2
Bad Godesberg, Bonn
Tel: (228) 364000/8/9
For addresses of Egyptian Embassies and Consultates in other
countries, please see:
http://www.touregypt.net/usconsulates.htm
For more information, please contact: SCC Coordinator Mohamed Matar at [email][email protected] or in phone in Egypt at +2, 0111-281-8909 or Abdalla Hanzal, Director of SCC Middle East at [email][email protected], or in phone in Egypt at +2, 0128-284-7656.