Monday, July 22, 2024 

In the latest TRUSU Amnesty Urgent Action letter, the Union urged Major General Mahmoud Tawfik, Egypt’s Minister of the Interior, to end the collective expulsion of Sudanese refugees and release those arbitrarily detained.

“We hope that by addressing this issue directly with Minister Tawfik, immediate measures will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of Sudanese refugees during this difficult time”, stated TRUSU Women’s Representative, Fahina Afrin.

From the start of the Sudan conflict in April 2023 to March 2024, roughly half a Million Sudanese nationals have fled their country to seek refuge in Egypt. As a result of a partnership with the European Union (EU), Egypt received 7.4 billion Euros to use towards supporting Sudanese refugees. Actions that the Egyptian Government has made included enforcing stricter entry requirements, making it difficult for Sudanese to seek safety and resulted in many illegal border crossings. There has been an influx of Sudanese Refugees collectively being arrested and detained without proper legal processes in place that would help decrease any risk of deportation to Sudan.  

There is a critical need for Egypt to adhere to international human rights laws, particularly the principle of non-refoulement; which prohibits the return of refugees to countries where they may face serious threats to their lives or freedom. This situation in Egypt and the collective expulsions of Sudanese disregards this internationally recognized protocol and violates the rights for refugees to seek asylum and live free from fear of persecution. 

“We are deeply concerned to hear that the Sudanese people that are taking refuge in Egypt are being faced with the risk of deportation back to an unsafe environment”, noted Afrin.  

TRUSU awaits a response from Minister Tawfik and hopes for a swift resolution to this pressing human rights violation. 

The Amnesty Urgent Actions Program allows the Union to take action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator below.