Amnesty International urged the Egyptian government on Tuesday to reject the new refugee law, citing violations of international human rights and refugee laws. The organization stated that the proposed law should be returned to parliament for further revisions and called on the European Union (EU) to press the Egyptian government to introduce necessary safeguards to refugee rights under international law.
Amnesty International highlighted several flaws in the new refugee law and asserted that its current version ignores Egypt’s obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention. The NGO argued that the proposed law unduly restricts the right to seek asylum in Egypt and doesn’t prohibit the arbitrary detention of refugees and asylum seekers. Additionally, the organization expressed concerns over the law’s exclusion clauses, which link eligibility for refugee status to vague and broad criteria such as “national security” or “public order.” These broad terms could lead to varying interpretations and potential abuses by national authorities, thereby increasing the risk of denying international protection to many refugees.
Furthermore, the new refugee bill allows the forced return of refugees entering Egypt to their country of origin without legal safeguards, which violates the principle of non-refoulement stated in Article 33 of the Refugee Convention. Amnesty International also added that the legislation lacks due process safeguards for asylum seekers.
Mahmoud Shalaby, Amnesty International’s Egypt researcher stated: “The Egyptian government must not seek to bypass its obligations under international human rights and refugee law with domestic legislation that would facilitate further abuses against refugees and asylum seekers.” He added that the EU, as Egypt’s strategic partner, must urge the government to introduce the necessary amendments before approving the new law.
The controversial refugee bill, approved by the parliament in November 2024, constitutes Egypt’s first asylum law. It aims to formalize the asylum process within domestic legislation. A significant aspect of the proposed bill is the creation of a new government committee affiliated with the prime minister, to be named the “Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs.” This committee will be responsible for all refugee-related issues and cooperate with international organizations and bodies.
The proposed refugee bill comes in a context in which Egypt continues to receive an influx of migrants from several countries. The country has been hosting refugees from 62 nationalities, with Sudanese nationals comprising the largest group. In a report published in June, Amnesty International criticized the Egyptian government’s handling of the Sudanese migration crisis. It also called on authorities to cease the forced deportation of refugees to their home country and highlighted the mass arrests conducted by Egyptian border forces against Sudanese refugees.
The armed conflict in Sudan has displaced over 10 million people from their country, with around two million fleeing to neighboring countries. The humanitarian crisis for Sudanese refugees continues to deteriorate according to the latest report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Currently, Egypt hosts over 1.2 million Sudanese refugees but has reached its maximum capacity to provide them with adequate living conditions.
