The Sudanese Alliance for Rights expresses grave concern over recent and credible reports indicating an escalation in the detention, forced deportation, and harassment of Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt. These developments are deeply alarming, particularly given that Sudanese civilians fled to Egypt to escape an armed conflict marked by widespread violence, mass atrocities, and the near-total collapse of civilian protection inside Sudan. Egypt hosts a very large number of people fleeing the conflict in Sudan, with recent United Nations figures estimating that more than 1.2 million Sudanese have sought refuge in Egypt since the war began in April 2023, making the country one of the largest hosts of Sudanese refugees in the region. Measures that expose refugees to arbitrary detention or return them to an active conflict zone risk compounding an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
Egypt has long played a significant role in receiving Sudanese fleeing violence, grounded in shared history, geography, and regional responsibility. However, recent reports suggest that Sudanese refugees; including asylum seekers and individuals in need of international protection — have been subjected to arrest, prolonged detention, and deportation without due process or adequate safeguards. Such practices raise serious concerns under international refugee and human rights law and place already vulnerable individuals, including women and children, at heightened risk of harm.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights recalls that Egypt is a State Party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and is bound by the fundamental principle of non-refoulement, which strictly prohibits the return of any person to a country where they face threats to life, liberty, or safety. Returning Sudanese refugees to a context of ongoing hostilities, mass displacement, and documented human rights violations constitutes a breach of these obligations and undermines regional and international refugee protection frameworks.
We therefore call on the Egyptian authorities to immediately halt forced deportations of Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers, to ensure access to fair and transparent asylum procedures, and to guarantee unhindered access for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and independent monitors to all places of detention and reception. Protection, not punishment, must remain the guiding principle for people seeking safety from war.
At the same time, the Sudanese Alliance for Rights emphasises that the precarious situation faced by Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries is a direct consequence of the continuing war in Sudan. The conflict has displaced millions internally and across borders, destroyed livelihoods, separated families, and inflicted profound social and economic harm on civilians. We call on all warring parties to immediately cease hostilities and to commit to an inclusive political process aimed at ending the conflict. Continued fighting not only devastates communities inside Sudan but also fuels regional displacement and exposes Sudanese civilians to further cycles of vulnerability and abuse.
We further urge the international community, regional bodies, and humanitarian partners to strengthen protection mechanisms for Sudanese refugees, increase support to host countries, and ensure that refugee rights are upheld in line with international law. Durable solutions to displacement cannot be achieved without an end to the war and meaningful accountability for the violations that forced millions to flee.
The protection of Sudanese civilians — whether inside the country or in exile — must remain an urgent international priority. Dignity, safety, and the right to seek asylum are non-negotiable.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights
8 February 2026
