Two men deported from the United States to Equatorial Guinea have been arrested and imprisoned by local police. Samson Birhane, an Eritrean national, and Ahmed Soliman, an Egyptian asylum seeker, were deported by the Trump administration despite receiving protections from US immigration courts. They were among over two dozen individuals confined to a hotel in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, after being sent to a country with which they have no ties.
Birhane and Soliman claim they were arrested and taken to prison for speaking out against the inhumane conditions they faced at the hotel and the threats made by armed forces. While confined at the hotel, deportees reported being denied medical care and legal assistance, and described experiencing psychological torture. Human rights advocates have raised concerns about the US policy of deporting immigrants to third countries with questionable human rights records.
According to Tutu Alicante, a human rights attorney and founder of EG Justice, the US has sent 66 immigrants from countries other than Equatorial Guinea to the nation. Most of these individuals are from African countries, with some also from Georgia, Cuba, and Brazil. Alicante expressed alarm about the US policy, citing Equatorial Guinea's history of human rights abuses, including torture, secret detention, and extrajudicial executions.
The situation in Equatorial Guinea has drawn international attention, with Amnesty International calling for the release of Birhane and Soliman. Video footage obtained by Reuters showed guards pointing their guns at a group of deportees at the hotel after a Cuban national requested his confiscated phone be returned. The incident highlights the harsh conditions faced by deportees in Equatorial Guinea.
Ahmed Soliman described the events leading up to his arrest, stating that a fellow detainee was denied his phone for two weeks and asked to speak with the director. When ignored, Soliman and others attempted to advocate for the detainee's rights, leading to a tense standoff with armed guards. Soliman was subsequently arrested and taken to a Malabo prison.
A federal appeals court recently rejected the Trump administration's policy of rapidly expelling immigrants to third countries with which they have no ties. The decision may be contested before the Supreme Court. Since President Trump returned to power, over 25,000 immigrants have been expelled to at least 29 third countries with which they have no connections.
Human rights advocates continue to raise concerns about the US policy of deporting immigrants to countries with questionable human rights records. The case of Birhane and Soliman highlights the need for greater scrutiny of these policies and the protection of vulnerable individuals.
Key points
- The US has deported 66 immigrants to Equatorial Guinea since the policy began.
- Two deportees, Samson Birhane and Ahmed Soliman, have been imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea for speaking out against their treatment.
- Human rights advocates have raised concerns about the US policy of deporting immigrants to third countries with questionable human rights records.
