[JURIST] 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 [BBC report]. The Sudanese protesters sought resettlement in a third country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs [official website, English version] has said that following extensive interviews [press release] with the detainees by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees [official website], none will be deported to Sudan, and that Egypt [JURIST news archive] will take steps to grant legal status to those who do not qualify for international protection. Egypt had earlier announced plans to deport [JURIST report] 654 Sudanese refugees, but this was met with pressure from the international community [JURIST report]. Reuters has more.