Within a short period and under mysterious circumstances 

Sixth Sudanese man dies at the hands of Egyptian Authorities

Sources from the family of Rashid Mohamed Abbas, a Sudanese resident in Egypt, revealed that he died on Monday after being detained during raids carried out by the Egyptian Authorities. 

His brother, Ahmed Mohamed, confirmed Rashid’s death in a post on his Facebook page. His cousin, Mohamed Hashim, stated that Rashid died as a result of torture in prison at the hands of the Egyptian authorities after being detained as part of these raids. 

The Egyptian human rights activist and director of the Refugees Platform in Egypt, Nour Khalil, stated on his Facebook page that the Sudanese citizen, Rashid Mohamed Abbas, died two weeks after his detention, despite possessing identification papers. He further indicated that his family remains unaware whether his death occurred inside the Police Station or during his transfer. 

He added: “Rashid wasn’t suffering from any illness prior to his detention, and he wasn’t informed of the reason for his detention. Furthermore, the Public Prosecutor’s Office didn’t issue any detention order, no charges were brought against him, and he was unable to contact his family or his lawyer.” 

In addition, he confirmed that Rashid left behind a young child -who had yet to turn two. The human rights activist called on the Egyptian Public Prosecutor Office to investigate his death, along with the deaths of more than five other Sudanese nationals who died in detention facilities within the past month and a half. 

Nour Khalil quoted his family as saying, “Our son is dead. There’s no bringing him back. The important matter at hand is, thousands of others are still imprisoned and could potentially meet the same fate.” 

He added, “There are no natural deaths in prisons and detention centers, moreover, there’s no voluntary return when the only alternative is imprisonment under deadly conditions.” 

The Initial Account

Sources stated that Rashid died inside a prison transport vehicle en route to Cairo Airport, where he was to be deported to Sudan on a Badr Airlines flight. This particular flight was part of a program run by Sudanese businessmen called the “Voluntary Return Group,” which is dedicated to repatriating Sudanese detainees in Egypt. 

A Different Account

For his part, Mohamed Wada’ah, head of the Hope Committee for the Voluntary Return of Sudanese from Egypt, stated that the death of the Sudanese citizen, Rashid Mohamed Abbas occurred Monday morning at Cairo Airport, shortly prior to his scheduled flight to Port Sudan on Badr Airlines. 

Wada’ah added that the sudden death occurred whilst the deceased was completing the necessary procedures for boarding a flight organized by the Committee, after all booking and travel arrangements had been finalized. 

A Third Account

The Democratic Front for Sudanese Lawyers (DFSL) condemned what it described as the assassination of citizen Rashid Mohamed Abbas by the Egyptian authorities, noting that he was arrested at the beginning of March and taken to an unknown location. 

In a statement, the Front shared that Rashid was subjected to continuous torture during his detention and was denied visits from his family until they were informed that he had been transferred to a hospital in light of his deteriorating health, where he later died. 

The statement indicated that his family was prevented from accompanying him, which constitutes a blatant violation of human rights, and asserted that he died in the hospital as a result of torture. 

The Front further criticized the statement issued by the Voluntary Return Committee, deeming it a reflection of weakness and collusion on the part of the Embassy with the Egyptian authorities. Additionally, it described the statement regarding his death at the airport as “perjury.” 

The statement noted the family of the deceased’s refusal to receive the body, demanding a medical report clarifying the true cause of death. 

It further highlighted the presence of dozens of detainees in Egyptian prisons without due process, with their families denied visits and the exercise of their basic human rights. 

Legal Demands 

The Front called upon the Egyptian authorities to protect refugees, considering this an obligation under International Law, particularly the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, the 1984 Convention against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. 

The Front further called upon the Sudanese government to fulfill its duty to protect its citizens abroad, ensure they are not subjected to violations, and stand with its people instead of remaining -complicitly- silent regarding what it described as the Egyptian authorities’ abuses against the Sudanese citizens. 

Nevertheless, neither the Egyptian authorities nor the UNHCR in Egypt have issued any statement or comment on the matter.